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Becoming a Barbarian
Becoming a Barbarian is a follow-up to Donovan's cult hit, The Way of Men. Good, modern, "civilized" Western men today are expected to think like "citizens of the world" – obligated to everyone and no one. Natural, meaningful tribal connections have been substituted with synthetic, disposable consumer identities. Without a sense of who they are and what group they have a place in, modern men are becoming increasingly detached, disoriented, vulnerable, and ever more easily manipulated.
Becoming a Barbarian attacks the emasculated emptiness of life in the modern West – "The Empire of Nothing" – and shows men how to think tribally again. It reveals the weaknesses of universalistic thinking, and challenges readers to become the kind of men who could go "all-in" and devote their lives to one group of people above all others.
Becoming a Barbarian is about finding a tribe, finding a purpose, and choosing to live the kind of life that undermines the narrative of the Empire.
Becoming a Barbarian attacks the emasculated emptiness of life in the modern West – "The Empire of Nothing" – and shows men how to think tribally again. It reveals the weaknesses of universalistic thinking, and challenges readers to become the kind of men who could go "all-in" and devote their lives to one group of people above all others.
Becoming a Barbarian is about finding a tribe, finding a purpose, and choosing to live the kind of life that undermines the narrative of the Empire.
164 pages, Paperback
First published March 15, 2016
208 people are currently reading
1828 people want to read
About the author
Jack Donovan
7 books480 followersJack Donovan has been writing and speaking about masculinity, masculine philosophy and spirituality for over a decade. His foundational book, The Way of Men, has sold over 100,000 copies worldwide and has been translated into French, German, Portuguese, Spanish and Polish.
Donovan is an occasional speaker and often appears on podcasts to discuss masculinity and the challenges faced by men who want to live masculine lives in the 21st Century.
He lives in the Pacific Northwest, where he has constructed an “experimental pagan ritual space” called “Waldgang,” somewhere in the hinterlands.
Donovan is an occasional speaker and often appears on podcasts to discuss masculinity and the challenges faced by men who want to live masculine lives in the 21st Century.
He lives in the Pacific Northwest, where he has constructed an “experimental pagan ritual space” called “Waldgang,” somewhere in the hinterlands.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 103 reviews
December 7, 2018
2.5 out of 5 stars. He gets some things right and has a few good ideas but even though to a degree this is cloaked in pseudo Odinism there seems to be an obvious Lavey and Might is Right influence that i picked up on while reading this. Lavey was an entertaining oddball nerd that shouldn't be taken too seriously.
But most importantly there is no way I'm stamping a No Girls Allowed sign on my clubhouse door as he seems to be suggesting when he talks about building small networks and tribes. At this point I can't even count the number of times when things weren't going well for me that my "Bros" seemed to almost always disappear but I've had women walk through hell and back for and with me more than once.
But most importantly there is no way I'm stamping a No Girls Allowed sign on my clubhouse door as he seems to be suggesting when he talks about building small networks and tribes. At this point I can't even count the number of times when things weren't going well for me that my "Bros" seemed to almost always disappear but I've had women walk through hell and back for and with me more than once.
March 15, 2017
I've spent the better part of the past two years reading any book I could get my hands on. Almost every person I spoke to recommended Jack Donovan's "The Way of Men" as a great place to start to have the discussion of modern masculinity. As you can see in my previous review, I found the book to be sophomoric at best.
Mr. Donovan has some great ideas about tribes and building a group of men to hold yourself accountable and continue to grow as a man. However, that is mired by his clear hatred for feminity, government establishments, and particular groups of people. I had hoped that in the years between "The Way of Men" and "Becoming a Barbarian," Mr. Donovan could have evolved a bit and shared a more enlightened view of masculinity.
Unfortunately, quite the opposite has happened. Mr. Donovan has dived further into his paranoid delusion that everyone is trying to steal his masculinity away from him. So, if you're also a paranoid delusional who is scared that liberals are coming to take your penis, I highly recommend the book as a confirmation of your preexisting beliefs. If you understand that not everything that's happened since our tribal societies evolved into the modern world is bad, I'd recommend looking elsewhere.
Mr. Donovan has some great ideas about tribes and building a group of men to hold yourself accountable and continue to grow as a man. However, that is mired by his clear hatred for feminity, government establishments, and particular groups of people. I had hoped that in the years between "The Way of Men" and "Becoming a Barbarian," Mr. Donovan could have evolved a bit and shared a more enlightened view of masculinity.
Unfortunately, quite the opposite has happened. Mr. Donovan has dived further into his paranoid delusion that everyone is trying to steal his masculinity away from him. So, if you're also a paranoid delusional who is scared that liberals are coming to take your penis, I highly recommend the book as a confirmation of your preexisting beliefs. If you understand that not everything that's happened since our tribal societies evolved into the modern world is bad, I'd recommend looking elsewhere.
April 30, 2016
A very thought provoking book. I resonate with his idea of "Not my people. Not my problem."
His discussion of the often-used word "we" was quite instructive as well. His listed questions one should ask himself to really determine true inclusiveness are telling. Many people are including themselves in groups with the word "we"...groups that likely would not accept the individuals who are using the inclusive language.
One final point...it's a small part of the end of the book, but Donovan provides a stinging critique of Grossman's "Wolf, Sheep, Sheepdog" analogy. Any of my gun owning friends who embrace that language should reconsider. Read the book and find out why.
His discussion of the often-used word "we" was quite instructive as well. His listed questions one should ask himself to really determine true inclusiveness are telling. Many people are including themselves in groups with the word "we"...groups that likely would not accept the individuals who are using the inclusive language.
One final point...it's a small part of the end of the book, but Donovan provides a stinging critique of Grossman's "Wolf, Sheep, Sheepdog" analogy. Any of my gun owning friends who embrace that language should reconsider. Read the book and find out why.
February 3, 2019
I was hoping for something a little more Conan and a little less American History X.
I'm not sure whether it's more a manifesto or a screed, but Jackie D seems like a frustrated little fella, trying to shun identity politics by becoming more fervent and declarative in his own identity politics. One of those "no true king" dealies.
The opening had some real frothy incel vibes, and his readiness to use "like religion! or race!" as lines of demarcation for picking teams were a red flag or six.
I made it 25% of the way into the book when he rolled out the term "boy-raping goat-fuckers". That cashed me out. It was supposed to be illustrative of things you shouldn't say, and we agree on that much, but I couldn't see any way the book would pull a hard enough 180 after that line for me to consider it a valuable and thought-provoking treatise on modern masculinity or whatever the fuck he tried to dogwhistle it as.
I googled his name, just for shits. A homosexual skinhead turned... what, tribal life coach? Striking back against the matriarchy by building a gang of some like minded men (gotta be men) who are on your team, men who are of the appropriate sexual, religious, and racial backgrounds to truly be tribal teammates, at which point I bet the plan consists of some decidedly manly and exclusionary ways of sticking it to the feminists. So to speak. Hot one tonight, boys and boys, break out the tiki torches.
I'm not sure whether it's more a manifesto or a screed, but Jackie D seems like a frustrated little fella, trying to shun identity politics by becoming more fervent and declarative in his own identity politics. One of those "no true king" dealies.
The opening had some real frothy incel vibes, and his readiness to use "like religion! or race!" as lines of demarcation for picking teams were a red flag or six.
I made it 25% of the way into the book when he rolled out the term "boy-raping goat-fuckers". That cashed me out. It was supposed to be illustrative of things you shouldn't say, and we agree on that much, but I couldn't see any way the book would pull a hard enough 180 after that line for me to consider it a valuable and thought-provoking treatise on modern masculinity or whatever the fuck he tried to dogwhistle it as.
I googled his name, just for shits. A homosexual skinhead turned... what, tribal life coach? Striking back against the matriarchy by building a gang of some like minded men (gotta be men) who are on your team, men who are of the appropriate sexual, religious, and racial backgrounds to truly be tribal teammates, at which point I bet the plan consists of some decidedly manly and exclusionary ways of sticking it to the feminists. So to speak. Hot one tonight, boys and boys, break out the tiki torches.
March 19, 2021
The first two chapters of this book are near perfect and encapsulate pretty much all the reasons for my frustration with the world.
Not finished yet, but giving 5 stars simply for the first dozen or so paragraphs.
"A man who has earned his place in a group of men knows who he is. A man who knows who his “we” is doesn’t have to wonder “who he is.”
He doesn’t have to meditate on every dendrite of his own spiritual snowflake to “find himself.” He doesn’t have to find himself because he knows where he belongs. His personal identity is located within and relates to his social identity. His idea of himself is not a daydream or a whim, it is repeatedly verified and peer-reviewed. His ego is balanced by his superego."
This guy is genius. I hope he puts out more work and contributes more to this increasingly lost and absurd world.
If he was active on social media or anywhere really I would engage willingly, but no doubt he is wiser than that or has already been blocked by the biased and corrupt tech elites.
Read his work. If you are a man. Or if you are a woman and want to understand what ideal men should strive to be (hint: not another weak, consumerist, universalist, politically correct, disoriented, demoralised and brainwashed sorry excuse for a man.)
Not finished yet, but giving 5 stars simply for the first dozen or so paragraphs.
"A man who has earned his place in a group of men knows who he is. A man who knows who his “we” is doesn’t have to wonder “who he is.”
He doesn’t have to meditate on every dendrite of his own spiritual snowflake to “find himself.” He doesn’t have to find himself because he knows where he belongs. His personal identity is located within and relates to his social identity. His idea of himself is not a daydream or a whim, it is repeatedly verified and peer-reviewed. His ego is balanced by his superego."
This guy is genius. I hope he puts out more work and contributes more to this increasingly lost and absurd world.
If he was active on social media or anywhere really I would engage willingly, but no doubt he is wiser than that or has already been blocked by the biased and corrupt tech elites.
Read his work. If you are a man. Or if you are a woman and want to understand what ideal men should strive to be (hint: not another weak, consumerist, universalist, politically correct, disoriented, demoralised and brainwashed sorry excuse for a man.)
September 8, 2022
8/10.
What does it mean to become a barbarian? Let's think back to the situation of the Gothic barbarians who stood before Rome during its period of collapse. These barbarians were made up of tightly-knit, ethnically uniform, masculine, and hardy tribes. They were warriors. Before them was Rome, a decadent society where inflation ran rampant, women stopped having children, and prostitution became an hourly occurrence at the local bathhouse. Rome had become cosmopolitan and ran by finance instead of the virile masculine spirit that led to its rise.
This is what the barbarians faced. Did they proclaim, "let's treat everyone equally" or "we should salvage this pitiful empire"? No! They looted and pillaged and gathered resources for themselves and their group. With those resources they could build a better society for their children. Their morality was particularistic and their efforts directed at their close family and kin. No "love of humanity" factored into their decisions.
Such a mindset is what we must revive. Let's have a thought experiment. If every ethnic group but Europeans has special interest groups that fight for their own, what will happen to Europeans, all else being equal? They will die. They will get out-competed. They will lose jobs, college positions, and leadership roles due to the ethnic favoritism of all other ethnicities and races.
Thus the solution is to become a particularistic, tribal barbarian — to favor one's own. Just as affirmative action favors Blacks for admissions, so too you must favor Europeans for your "admissions" — any decision you make. Thus you help your tribe and assist them in reaching a more favorable position in life.
The international financiers greatly oppose this. They want the absolute destruction of the European gene pool, as well as to maximize profit. Profit is not maximized when there is racial conflict. Profit is not maximized when you care about your tribe more than fruitless greed. No, profit is maximized when everyone becomes an interchangeable atom with no morals to constrain their desires. That is their plan for you: to consume as much as possible.
But this will lead to the death of Western culture and its creators. Is this desirable? Is it desirable to be without the men who wrote the Constitution, who fought mightily against the Persians, who ventured across seas to explore, who created the greatest inventions the world has ever seen — do you really want to lose this great Folk, being that it is your own? If you value your family over all other families (which is assuredly just), then why not value your own people over all others?
So if you want your descendants to look like you, if you want to be a little less hated in this world, if you want to have a natural comradery with your friends and colleagues, — if you want all of this, be tribal. Tribes beat individuals through collective strength. So let us come together and protect our birthright.
What does it mean to become a barbarian? Let's think back to the situation of the Gothic barbarians who stood before Rome during its period of collapse. These barbarians were made up of tightly-knit, ethnically uniform, masculine, and hardy tribes. They were warriors. Before them was Rome, a decadent society where inflation ran rampant, women stopped having children, and prostitution became an hourly occurrence at the local bathhouse. Rome had become cosmopolitan and ran by finance instead of the virile masculine spirit that led to its rise.
This is what the barbarians faced. Did they proclaim, "let's treat everyone equally" or "we should salvage this pitiful empire"? No! They looted and pillaged and gathered resources for themselves and their group. With those resources they could build a better society for their children. Their morality was particularistic and their efforts directed at their close family and kin. No "love of humanity" factored into their decisions.
Such a mindset is what we must revive. Let's have a thought experiment. If every ethnic group but Europeans has special interest groups that fight for their own, what will happen to Europeans, all else being equal? They will die. They will get out-competed. They will lose jobs, college positions, and leadership roles due to the ethnic favoritism of all other ethnicities and races.
Thus the solution is to become a particularistic, tribal barbarian — to favor one's own. Just as affirmative action favors Blacks for admissions, so too you must favor Europeans for your "admissions" — any decision you make. Thus you help your tribe and assist them in reaching a more favorable position in life.
The international financiers greatly oppose this. They want the absolute destruction of the European gene pool, as well as to maximize profit. Profit is not maximized when there is racial conflict. Profit is not maximized when you care about your tribe more than fruitless greed. No, profit is maximized when everyone becomes an interchangeable atom with no morals to constrain their desires. That is their plan for you: to consume as much as possible.
But this will lead to the death of Western culture and its creators. Is this desirable? Is it desirable to be without the men who wrote the Constitution, who fought mightily against the Persians, who ventured across seas to explore, who created the greatest inventions the world has ever seen — do you really want to lose this great Folk, being that it is your own? If you value your family over all other families (which is assuredly just), then why not value your own people over all others?
So if you want your descendants to look like you, if you want to be a little less hated in this world, if you want to have a natural comradery with your friends and colleagues, — if you want all of this, be tribal. Tribes beat individuals through collective strength. So let us come together and protect our birthright.
May 20, 2020
As always, Mr. Donovan presents a very compelling book with a clear and challenging message: "Not my people, not my problem".
I have to admit that I found some parts of the books very unsettling, and I do think that Mr. Donovan wanted it to be like that. Becoming a barbarian means going against modern society, to stand for what you really value, but first, you must clear up your mind and defined what is what matters to you. Define your people, your values, your territory, the territory that you share with your gang, and protect it. For real. Like if you really mean it.
I also think that Mr. Donovan touches an important part in our society: the increasing narcissism in which I do not care for others but I act as if I do. I completely agree that it is impossible for a man to love all humankind. Although it is true that a lot of people suffer in the world (on many occasions, unjustly) I can do almost nothing. What is more, I pretend to care for those that suffer but I do not really know while my neighbor, my relative is suffering and I just ignore him.
Becoming a Barbarian is a call for all of us to be real men. To do something meaningful for real. To stop feeling bad for someone in the other part of the world and start caring about for those members of my gang.
Definitely a book worth reading.
I have to admit that I found some parts of the books very unsettling, and I do think that Mr. Donovan wanted it to be like that. Becoming a barbarian means going against modern society, to stand for what you really value, but first, you must clear up your mind and defined what is what matters to you. Define your people, your values, your territory, the territory that you share with your gang, and protect it. For real. Like if you really mean it.
I also think that Mr. Donovan touches an important part in our society: the increasing narcissism in which I do not care for others but I act as if I do. I completely agree that it is impossible for a man to love all humankind. Although it is true that a lot of people suffer in the world (on many occasions, unjustly) I can do almost nothing. What is more, I pretend to care for those that suffer but I do not really know while my neighbor, my relative is suffering and I just ignore him.
Becoming a Barbarian is a call for all of us to be real men. To do something meaningful for real. To stop feeling bad for someone in the other part of the world and start caring about for those members of my gang.
Definitely a book worth reading.
April 28, 2016
Absolutely necessary reading for any modern man.
September 21, 2017
Wow. Jack Donovan strikes again!
This book scrubs away all the PC garbage rhetoric that is spoon fed to us by our leaders and the complicit media/commercial engine that feed them. The message in this book is simple: take care of your own by any means necessary and stop acting so high minded with regard to those you perceive as "other" or "they" because "we" if "we" can even be defined easily all are biologically programmed to identify a certain way. It's so easy these days to hate each other instead of respecting each other's differences-when we recognize that it's ok to belong to a certain group, to identify with a certain group and that we don't have to agree with each other all the time, we will only then see an end to hate and unreasonable violence. To be a barbarian means to be a rugged individual in a world of sheep, while simultaneously being a member of a smaller group of like minded beings-you contribute only to what will make your life and those beings lives better otherwise you are just buying in to the globalist agenda which weakens us all equally. To put it simply-if we all focused on making our communities better through personal responsibility for ourselves and our fellow community member locally, there would be no need for global outcry/demand on each other with regard to inequality. When describing universalism or globalism,an acronym comes to mind-NIMBY(not in my back yard)-many groups will claim they care about certain groups of people or causes until it affects them or their community personally e.g. Redistribution, war, anti-capitalism, etc
It is impossible to care for everyone all at one time-we may say we care about starving children in Africa, but how many give all of their time, effort and money to eradicating that issue? We may say we care about AIDS in America, but then why are you sitting around Starbucks rattling off platitudes on your computer when you should be in school or a lab devoting your time to finding a cure...the point is that none of us are God and none of us are perfect despite our appearances and feelings on social media...if you really care about an issue, then argue with people who will appreciate your opinion and start with one person-that is how you will make a difference, not by bleating relentlessly about what should be done while not doing a damn thing.
This book scrubs away all the PC garbage rhetoric that is spoon fed to us by our leaders and the complicit media/commercial engine that feed them. The message in this book is simple: take care of your own by any means necessary and stop acting so high minded with regard to those you perceive as "other" or "they" because "we" if "we" can even be defined easily all are biologically programmed to identify a certain way. It's so easy these days to hate each other instead of respecting each other's differences-when we recognize that it's ok to belong to a certain group, to identify with a certain group and that we don't have to agree with each other all the time, we will only then see an end to hate and unreasonable violence. To be a barbarian means to be a rugged individual in a world of sheep, while simultaneously being a member of a smaller group of like minded beings-you contribute only to what will make your life and those beings lives better otherwise you are just buying in to the globalist agenda which weakens us all equally. To put it simply-if we all focused on making our communities better through personal responsibility for ourselves and our fellow community member locally, there would be no need for global outcry/demand on each other with regard to inequality. When describing universalism or globalism,an acronym comes to mind-NIMBY(not in my back yard)-many groups will claim they care about certain groups of people or causes until it affects them or their community personally e.g. Redistribution, war, anti-capitalism, etc
It is impossible to care for everyone all at one time-we may say we care about starving children in Africa, but how many give all of their time, effort and money to eradicating that issue? We may say we care about AIDS in America, but then why are you sitting around Starbucks rattling off platitudes on your computer when you should be in school or a lab devoting your time to finding a cure...the point is that none of us are God and none of us are perfect despite our appearances and feelings on social media...if you really care about an issue, then argue with people who will appreciate your opinion and start with one person-that is how you will make a difference, not by bleating relentlessly about what should be done while not doing a damn thing.
November 28, 2018
First of all I must say that this is a necessary reading for every modern man, this book contains many observations on the decline of society, the decline of masculinity over time due to the plague of modernity and how things work in the actual world. It's instructive in many aspects, and on a personal level I have been able to verify through my own experience (by the hard way) some things asserted at first hand.
It's a thought provoking book, politically incorrect and goes beyond the typical male empowerment books one may find, and definitely not suitable for self-denial men who are sympathetic to feminism. It's certainly one of the most important books that every right-wing young man should read.
It's a thought provoking book, politically incorrect and goes beyond the typical male empowerment books one may find, and definitely not suitable for self-denial men who are sympathetic to feminism. It's certainly one of the most important books that every right-wing young man should read.
May 24, 2021
Finalmente, anarcofascismo.
November 3, 2018
An interesting book to be sure. A lot of ideas you don't normally hear. From the dangers of moral universalism to the challenges of manhood, Donovan covers a lot in a very short book. His main focus seems to be against what he refers to as the "Empire of Nothing", or the postmodern West. While he values the West's advances, like the Internet and air conditioning, it's lack of principles seem to baffle him, and lead to his idea that men should become, essentially, outcasts from society at large in favor a small tribe.
The biggest question mark for me is that Donovan's argument for tribalism, and his disdain for the rugged individualism of people like Thoreau. He also isn't that favorable to capitalism, an irony, since perhaps the best argument against individualism is contained in Adam Smith, often considered the father of capitalism.
He says, in a variety of ways, something like:
Men must become packs of werewolves — civilized men who transform themselves into
something wild and alien to the Empire, carrying the forest with us even in when
surrounded by metal and glass, making unbreakable bonds amidst millions of fair-weather
“friends” and superficially concerned strangers.
A bit melodramatic, to be sure, but interesting nonetheless, though, I have a hard time seeing why one kind of tribe is preferable to another. But, it is food for thought. It's also compatible with the ideas of Jordan Peterson and Carl Jung of integrating your own shadow, though, Jack uses it to argue for the opposite ends of Peterson.
A good book, recommended, especially for my fellow young men out there who, fed on an unhealthy diet of "that's toxic masculinity!", are trying to figure out things for themselves.
The biggest question mark for me is that Donovan's argument for tribalism, and his disdain for the rugged individualism of people like Thoreau. He also isn't that favorable to capitalism, an irony, since perhaps the best argument against individualism is contained in Adam Smith, often considered the father of capitalism.
He says, in a variety of ways, something like:
Men must become packs of werewolves — civilized men who transform themselves into
something wild and alien to the Empire, carrying the forest with us even in when
surrounded by metal and glass, making unbreakable bonds amidst millions of fair-weather
“friends” and superficially concerned strangers.
A bit melodramatic, to be sure, but interesting nonetheless, though, I have a hard time seeing why one kind of tribe is preferable to another. But, it is food for thought. It's also compatible with the ideas of Jordan Peterson and Carl Jung of integrating your own shadow, though, Jack uses it to argue for the opposite ends of Peterson.
A good book, recommended, especially for my fellow young men out there who, fed on an unhealthy diet of "that's toxic masculinity!", are trying to figure out things for themselves.
June 7, 2017
Warning: If you're a male feminist or a somesuch house elf the book won't persuade you, just confirm your existing biases. Plus you'll feel immediate desire to skitter away, embrace the rejuvenating warmth of motherly womb, and purify yourself in the waters of Lake Estrogennica.
In short, Donovan reiterates the points he makes in WoM, with pieces of addenda here and there. It gets a bit heavy and pulpit-y on the "feminism is controlling your braaains!" side to the point of it sounding like a conspiracy theory, instead of a social and anthropological phenomenon.
If you ain't getting it by now, you might as well knit yourself a nice, comfy pussy hat. In pulsating vulva pink only, you patriarchal shitlord!
tl; dr - Men in the West are being shafted for decades by the chaotic doomsday cult masquerading largely as a social progress movement. It got so bad even gay dudes started writing books about the aforementioned shenanigans. This is the Part II: Fempire Strikes Back.
In short, Donovan reiterates the points he makes in WoM, with pieces of addenda here and there. It gets a bit heavy and pulpit-y on the "feminism is controlling your braaains!" side to the point of it sounding like a conspiracy theory, instead of a social and anthropological phenomenon.
If you ain't getting it by now, you might as well knit yourself a nice, comfy pussy hat. In pulsating vulva pink only, you patriarchal shitlord!
tl; dr - Men in the West are being shafted for decades by the chaotic doomsday cult masquerading largely as a social progress movement. It got so bad even gay dudes started writing books about the aforementioned shenanigans. This is the Part II: Fempire Strikes Back.
December 11, 2017
A very non pc call-to-arms for floundering western men. I reject a large portion of his thesis because I believe he misunderstands empire and patriotism. This is an alright follow up to his much better "Way of Men". The book starts off very well but fades quickly and becomes repetitive and needlessly verbose. I enjoyed the attack of the weak western man but not the view of the US as an evil empire and Law enforcement/military/first responders as poor stewards of a violence monopoly.
August 31, 2020
Dear God. Incel's manifesto. I thought this book might be okay, but holy crap the ridiculous misogynistic diatribe about how women have ruined society by gaining the right to vote etc was too stupid to handle. I truly feel sorry for men that are so sad in their own lives and with themselves that they target and blame women for not only all their personal problems, but the worlds problems as well. i am SO mad I wasted an audible credit on this book.
March 4, 2018
It was a good read but the last chapters were a bit too much. Maybe they are too much related to Donovan's own experience.
I think that the writing is not as good as in the Way of Men, the word choice (too much thesaurus it sounds unnatural) but also how he expresses his thoughts. I agree with him - that family comes first and that you have to protect your loved ones at any cost - but it's because I took the time to "translate/analyse" his thoughts, otherwise some parts could be offensive. If you can't do anything about it, all these bad news just make you feel miserable, frustrated, and guilty - which pushes you to be a good consumer.
I think that you can think "family..." first and still have a responsible behavior (I care about what I eat or buy - choosing local and fair trade - because I give a shit about what happens in the world. It doesn't mean I would choose "them" over "us". I just don't want to make it worse for "them" (and this includes animals!), especially if I can make a microscopic difference.)
At the same time, I'm always ready for the worst and never trust people from the start. But it doesn't mean that I will not be polite or kind to them. You have to give people a chance to win your trust too (just keep the knife behind your back just in case).
I totally agree about the "sheep" thing. Damn, if they want to kill you, just act first, strike back, be strong, don't turn the other cheek, forgive, or open your arms. That's moronic and suicidal.
I think that the writing is not as good as in the Way of Men, the word choice (too much thesaurus it sounds unnatural) but also how he expresses his thoughts. I agree with him - that family comes first and that you have to protect your loved ones at any cost - but it's because I took the time to "translate/analyse" his thoughts, otherwise some parts could be offensive. If you can't do anything about it, all these bad news just make you feel miserable, frustrated, and guilty - which pushes you to be a good consumer.
I think that you can think "family..." first and still have a responsible behavior (I care about what I eat or buy - choosing local and fair trade - because I give a shit about what happens in the world. It doesn't mean I would choose "them" over "us". I just don't want to make it worse for "them" (and this includes animals!), especially if I can make a microscopic difference.)
At the same time, I'm always ready for the worst and never trust people from the start. But it doesn't mean that I will not be polite or kind to them. You have to give people a chance to win your trust too (just keep the knife behind your back just in case).
I totally agree about the "sheep" thing. Damn, if they want to kill you, just act first, strike back, be strong, don't turn the other cheek, forgive, or open your arms. That's moronic and suicidal.
September 18, 2022
To escape the death grip of the Leviathan called "The Empire of Nothing" which has been running rampant for the past decade consuming the souls of the blind and naive sheeplike "good guys" of the modern world, one has no other choice but to become a barbarian and rebuild the new world from the ruins of the old world.
Reject modernity, embrace masculinity.
Reject modernity, embrace masculinity.
February 5, 2022
An incredible book, especially in light of Covid and how the world has lost its ever-loving mind. If you were rejected by those that followed the mainstream consensus, this book will explain a lot. Rejection from the Empire of Nothing is a badge of honor. Reject the modern world, not because it is modern, but because it is evil. Retvrn to Tradition.
June 9, 2020
"The Universalist man accepts responsibilities that could only be fulfilled by an omniscient god. As such, he is both obnoxious and a failure."
October 16, 2020
Unplugging..
December 13, 2016
I lied slightly in the "read" part as I only read half the book for reasons that will be stated below.
I bought this book with high hopes that this would be somewhat of a motivational book in "becoming a barbarian". Well I was definitely wrong. To start with the good, Jack does bring up some good points on the premise that people who are established in a tribe tend to feel better about themselves/have a better understanding of whom they are, makes sense to me. Also he said that "white western men are told to act and behave a certain way" which I do mostly agree with. But my god this guy complains a lot about the history of men. Its the same repetitive thing over and over for the first half of the book. I feel like I am getting absolutely no where. "Men are told....."blah blah blah. To me he just rambles on way to much about "western men" and these deep theories he has (once again that are very repetitive).
If your a fan of theories of civilization and the influences of groups on individuals, then I'd say give the book a read, chances are you'll like it. It does come with some complaining, but I believe there may be some good in the book if your looking to build on your knowledge of this.
I bought this book with high hopes that this would be somewhat of a motivational book in "becoming a barbarian". Well I was definitely wrong. To start with the good, Jack does bring up some good points on the premise that people who are established in a tribe tend to feel better about themselves/have a better understanding of whom they are, makes sense to me. Also he said that "white western men are told to act and behave a certain way" which I do mostly agree with. But my god this guy complains a lot about the history of men. Its the same repetitive thing over and over for the first half of the book. I feel like I am getting absolutely no where. "Men are told....."blah blah blah. To me he just rambles on way to much about "western men" and these deep theories he has (once again that are very repetitive).
If your a fan of theories of civilization and the influences of groups on individuals, then I'd say give the book a read, chances are you'll like it. It does come with some complaining, but I believe there may be some good in the book if your looking to build on your knowledge of this.
April 17, 2019
Not my people, not my problem
Donovan puts the focus back where it should be - on your ‘tribe’ of people, the people that really do matter - and away from the amorphous mob that liberal humanist society tells us we should care about. If everything is important, or everyone is important then nothing and no one is important. The human mind can only comprehend relationships with about 150 people, even though one might recall a few thousand names. Anything bigger than 150 is “them”. Donovan tells us to figure out who “we” actually is, and focus our time and attention on providing first for yourself, and a surplus for your very own “we”.
Donovan puts the focus back where it should be - on your ‘tribe’ of people, the people that really do matter - and away from the amorphous mob that liberal humanist society tells us we should care about. If everything is important, or everyone is important then nothing and no one is important. The human mind can only comprehend relationships with about 150 people, even though one might recall a few thousand names. Anything bigger than 150 is “them”. Donovan tells us to figure out who “we” actually is, and focus our time and attention on providing first for yourself, and a surplus for your very own “we”.
June 16, 2019
This is a tough one to rate. I agree with most of Donovan's central premises, and I think he's an insightful and talented writer, but at times his writing style sounds like too much like a well educated gamer ranting about women and society.
September 24, 2020
Challenging to many modern ideas. I'm not 'all aboard' Jack Donovan's rhetoric, but I certainly agree with some of his key points and the benefit to establishing strong identity.
January 10, 2020
This book is like a manual for extremism. Tends towards white supremacy — not really backed by any science either.
April 7, 2025
"Convirtiéndote en Bárbaro" es un manifiesto existencial que propone una ruptura radical con la domesticación social, cultural y psicológica del ser humano. En un estilo poético, crudo y visceral, el autor lanza un grito de guerra contra la apatía, la sumisión y el olvido del instinto. No es un texto de autoayuda tradicional: es una invocación, una llamada al alma salvaje que duerme en cada individuo, esperando ser despertada por la fuerza del fuego interior.
El concepto de "bárbaro" en este texto no remite al estereotipo del salvaje inculto o violento, sino al ser humano que ha despertado de la hipnosis colectiva. El bárbaro es aquel que ha derribado las máscaras del deber, la corrección y la conveniencia. No vive conforme a las expectativas ajenas: actúa desde la autenticidad, el deseo y la verdad personal. Es fuerza sin pedir disculpas, es amor sin condiciones, es cuerpo sin vergüenza.
El autor usa este arquetipo para contrastarlo con el “hombre domesticado”, el que ha aprendido a reprimir su fuego, su grito, su rabia y su pasión. El bárbaro, en cambio, no teme arder. Se lanza al abismo de sí mismo y, al hacerlo, encuentra poder.
Uno de los pilares del texto es la crítica a la cultura que ha glorificado la razón y ha exiliado el cuerpo, la emoción y el instinto. La voz narrativa acusa esta supremacía de la mente como una forma de anestesia, como un modo de distraernos de lo esencial: vivir con intensidad, con placer, con coraje. En este sentido, el texto tiene ecos nietzscheanos, en su denuncia del espíritu apolíneo que ha despojado al ser humano de su energía dionisíaca.
Este "bárbaro" que se propone no es irracional, sino suprarracional: no niega la mente, pero la subordina al cuerpo y al alma. El cuerpo no es cárcel, es templo; el deseo no es pecado, es brújula.
La prosa de “Convirtiéndote en Bárbaro” es breve, directa, apasionada. Frases cortas, imperativas, muchas veces con estructuras que se repiten como mantras o golpes. No busca complacer, no quiere ser bonito: quiere hacerte sangrar, sacudirte, llevarte al borde de ti mismo para que saltes. Es un texto diseñado para incomodar porque sabe que solo en el desconcierto puede haber transformación.
No es un libro que se lea para entender, sino para sentir. Su impacto está en su tono desafiante, en su ritmo interno, en su crudeza. Es más un ritual que una lectura.
Más que ofrecer una guía estructurada, el texto funciona como una invitación: regresa a ti. Desaprende lo aprendido. Deshaz el molde. Despierta a tu cuerpo, a tu voz, a tu rabia sagrada. Escucha lo que late bajo la superficie, ahí donde vive tu “bárbaro”. No es una meta a alcanzar, sino una verdad a desenterrar.
El dolor, el miedo y el caos no son enemigos: son portales. Quien se atreve a atravesarlos, renace. Y ese renacimiento no es pulcro ni elegante: es feroz.
"Convirtiéndote en Bárbaro" es un texto incendiario, casi chamánico. No ofrece respuestas fáciles ni fórmulas para el éxito: te lanza al centro del fuego y te dice que bailes. Te confronta con todo lo que has reprimido para que lo recuperes. Te recuerda que no viniste a esta vida a ser obediente, sino a ser libre.
Si estás buscando una lectura que te abrace, este no es el texto. Pero si estás listo para una que te despierte… aquí tienes una antorcha.
El concepto de "bárbaro" en este texto no remite al estereotipo del salvaje inculto o violento, sino al ser humano que ha despertado de la hipnosis colectiva. El bárbaro es aquel que ha derribado las máscaras del deber, la corrección y la conveniencia. No vive conforme a las expectativas ajenas: actúa desde la autenticidad, el deseo y la verdad personal. Es fuerza sin pedir disculpas, es amor sin condiciones, es cuerpo sin vergüenza.
El autor usa este arquetipo para contrastarlo con el “hombre domesticado”, el que ha aprendido a reprimir su fuego, su grito, su rabia y su pasión. El bárbaro, en cambio, no teme arder. Se lanza al abismo de sí mismo y, al hacerlo, encuentra poder.
Uno de los pilares del texto es la crítica a la cultura que ha glorificado la razón y ha exiliado el cuerpo, la emoción y el instinto. La voz narrativa acusa esta supremacía de la mente como una forma de anestesia, como un modo de distraernos de lo esencial: vivir con intensidad, con placer, con coraje. En este sentido, el texto tiene ecos nietzscheanos, en su denuncia del espíritu apolíneo que ha despojado al ser humano de su energía dionisíaca.
Este "bárbaro" que se propone no es irracional, sino suprarracional: no niega la mente, pero la subordina al cuerpo y al alma. El cuerpo no es cárcel, es templo; el deseo no es pecado, es brújula.
La prosa de “Convirtiéndote en Bárbaro” es breve, directa, apasionada. Frases cortas, imperativas, muchas veces con estructuras que se repiten como mantras o golpes. No busca complacer, no quiere ser bonito: quiere hacerte sangrar, sacudirte, llevarte al borde de ti mismo para que saltes. Es un texto diseñado para incomodar porque sabe que solo en el desconcierto puede haber transformación.
No es un libro que se lea para entender, sino para sentir. Su impacto está en su tono desafiante, en su ritmo interno, en su crudeza. Es más un ritual que una lectura.
Más que ofrecer una guía estructurada, el texto funciona como una invitación: regresa a ti. Desaprende lo aprendido. Deshaz el molde. Despierta a tu cuerpo, a tu voz, a tu rabia sagrada. Escucha lo que late bajo la superficie, ahí donde vive tu “bárbaro”. No es una meta a alcanzar, sino una verdad a desenterrar.
El dolor, el miedo y el caos no son enemigos: son portales. Quien se atreve a atravesarlos, renace. Y ese renacimiento no es pulcro ni elegante: es feroz.
"Convirtiéndote en Bárbaro" es un texto incendiario, casi chamánico. No ofrece respuestas fáciles ni fórmulas para el éxito: te lanza al centro del fuego y te dice que bailes. Te confronta con todo lo que has reprimido para que lo recuperes. Te recuerda que no viniste a esta vida a ser obediente, sino a ser libre.
Si estás buscando una lectura que te abrace, este no es el texto. Pero si estás listo para una que te despierte… aquí tienes una antorcha.
July 16, 2021
I got the audiobook of this and the fake macho accent was annoying so I’d recommend the actual book.
Jack has some good ideas but I would say he jumps to conclusions as to why the world is moving towards globalism and what caused it.
The idea that we cannot discriminate because it’s bad for business is mostly true in my opinion but CRT( Critical Race Theory) which many corporations adhere to, blatantly attacks and discriminates against straight, white, men(sometimes women), and especially Christian people.
Whites still being the majority of the western world would be a terrible group to discriminate against if you just wanted to make money.
Jack also accuses both Christianity and Islam of being the cause of making everyone care about everyone which isn’t required of the followers of either religion. Both require followers to try to convert but then talk about God’s or Allah’s judgment against nonbelievers and no caring is required on the judged, in fact it’s celebrated. “Us believers vs. them unbelievers”.
Jack asks “who is we?” And that Is a great question and one I think is worth pondering for anyone and any group.
Another good section is his description of the military idea of the “sheepdog”. He criticizes the thinking of the average military pawn. A pawn that doesn’t realize he or she is fighting for a lost cause of converting people into the empire of nothing and not for their country or people or even freedom.
I’d say this book is worth reading but I wish he’d taken it more seriously and thought on it more. What’s causing a lack of tribal grouping is that we live in a comfortable virtual world thanks to the internet. You can find tribalism showing up on Internet forums, Facebook, and whatever app you use but in person tribal connection is what we all long for. This book won’t give you that, only a few good ideas.
Jack has some good ideas but I would say he jumps to conclusions as to why the world is moving towards globalism and what caused it.
The idea that we cannot discriminate because it’s bad for business is mostly true in my opinion but CRT( Critical Race Theory) which many corporations adhere to, blatantly attacks and discriminates against straight, white, men(sometimes women), and especially Christian people.
Whites still being the majority of the western world would be a terrible group to discriminate against if you just wanted to make money.
Jack also accuses both Christianity and Islam of being the cause of making everyone care about everyone which isn’t required of the followers of either religion. Both require followers to try to convert but then talk about God’s or Allah’s judgment against nonbelievers and no caring is required on the judged, in fact it’s celebrated. “Us believers vs. them unbelievers”.
Jack asks “who is we?” And that Is a great question and one I think is worth pondering for anyone and any group.
Another good section is his description of the military idea of the “sheepdog”. He criticizes the thinking of the average military pawn. A pawn that doesn’t realize he or she is fighting for a lost cause of converting people into the empire of nothing and not for their country or people or even freedom.
I’d say this book is worth reading but I wish he’d taken it more seriously and thought on it more. What’s causing a lack of tribal grouping is that we live in a comfortable virtual world thanks to the internet. You can find tribalism showing up on Internet forums, Facebook, and whatever app you use but in person tribal connection is what we all long for. This book won’t give you that, only a few good ideas.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 9, 2019
Truly an original piece of it's time that not many have written about or tried to explain , but Jack Donovan hits the nail on the head here. You did an exceptional job explaining what tribalism is in the modern era as related in past historical cultures and civilizations. He gets straight to the point about how groups of people have always survived and maintained success in their own groups and circles using a sense of self-identity and unity.
What I've noticed with almost every single review on this page that were negative, is that they were completely unable to grasp the idea of this book and simply misstated a lot of ideas in which they thought the book was about. these critics obviously did not understand it and we're not capable of grasping the idea Jack was putting forward.
This is an essential read for anybody in western civilization , especially men. obviously this book is an extension from his previous book "the way of men", and definitely describe the importance of a close, tight-knit circle or group of people and sense of strong community. Nothing in this book puts down any other group of people, or any race, or females. The people that take that from this book or obviously not emotionally or mentally capable of understanding it. But you'll have that.
What I've noticed with almost every single review on this page that were negative, is that they were completely unable to grasp the idea of this book and simply misstated a lot of ideas in which they thought the book was about. these critics obviously did not understand it and we're not capable of grasping the idea Jack was putting forward.
This is an essential read for anybody in western civilization , especially men. obviously this book is an extension from his previous book "the way of men", and definitely describe the importance of a close, tight-knit circle or group of people and sense of strong community. Nothing in this book puts down any other group of people, or any race, or females. The people that take that from this book or obviously not emotionally or mentally capable of understanding it. But you'll have that.
March 20, 2023
★★★★☆
"Becoming a Barbarian" is like a swift kick to the solar plexus of modern society, leaving you gasping for air and questioning everything you thought you knew. Jack Donovan's raw, unapologetic call to arms is a jolt of testosterone-fueled lightning that makes your average self-help guru look like a new-age yoga instructor sipping kombucha. So, strap on your battle-ax and prepare to embrace the ways of the wild – it's time to get barbaric.
Donovan's brutal honesty and razor-sharp wit cut through the haze of cultural conditioning like a chainsaw through a butter sculpture. His exploration of tribalism, masculinity, and the rejection of the Empire of Nothing is a no-nonsense antidote to a world drowning in political correctness and hollow platitudes. You'll laugh, you'll snarl, and you'll swear off your Starbucks frappuccino in favor of a chalice of mead and a slab of red meat.
In short, "Becoming a Barbarian" is a one-way ticket to the land of the primal and untamed, where brotherhood and loyalty are forged in blood and sweat. It's a bold, unyielding challenge to the status quo that'll have you rethinking your life choices faster than a vegan at a Viking feast. So, channel your inner warrior, and remember – it's a barbarian's world out there; the rest of us are just living in it.
"Becoming a Barbarian" is like a swift kick to the solar plexus of modern society, leaving you gasping for air and questioning everything you thought you knew. Jack Donovan's raw, unapologetic call to arms is a jolt of testosterone-fueled lightning that makes your average self-help guru look like a new-age yoga instructor sipping kombucha. So, strap on your battle-ax and prepare to embrace the ways of the wild – it's time to get barbaric.
Donovan's brutal honesty and razor-sharp wit cut through the haze of cultural conditioning like a chainsaw through a butter sculpture. His exploration of tribalism, masculinity, and the rejection of the Empire of Nothing is a no-nonsense antidote to a world drowning in political correctness and hollow platitudes. You'll laugh, you'll snarl, and you'll swear off your Starbucks frappuccino in favor of a chalice of mead and a slab of red meat.
In short, "Becoming a Barbarian" is a one-way ticket to the land of the primal and untamed, where brotherhood and loyalty are forged in blood and sweat. It's a bold, unyielding challenge to the status quo that'll have you rethinking your life choices faster than a vegan at a Viking feast. So, channel your inner warrior, and remember – it's a barbarian's world out there; the rest of us are just living in it.
March 6, 2024
It would be more accurate to describe the book as a long-form essay. Firstly, I have to say that Jack Donovan's writing style is impeccable - he is clearly very well read as each sentence seamlessly flows into the next like prose.
There is some practical mindset advice in the book in terms of shifting from a universally moralistic framework to one that prioritizes the people closest to you who actually matter in your life. Outside of a few chapters the bulk of the book consists of highly readable but far fetched rants. Still a very enjoyable and clever book.
The ideas in the book can overly abstract. He speaks of rebelling against an "empire of nothing" but what exactly does that mean on a practical level?
Additionally, he blames American founding values for the modern state of moral decay but the fact of the matter is that no nation has more effectively unleashed the creative and productive potential of it's citizens for the last 200 years.
He constructs a mythical guilty suffocated white male obsessed with being the perfect harmless citizen, but outside of a few extreme self loathing personalities - I am yet to run into such a person in the real world. It seems to be an instantiated character that serves the purpose of the book.
There is some practical mindset advice in the book in terms of shifting from a universally moralistic framework to one that prioritizes the people closest to you who actually matter in your life. Outside of a few chapters the bulk of the book consists of highly readable but far fetched rants. Still a very enjoyable and clever book.
The ideas in the book can overly abstract. He speaks of rebelling against an "empire of nothing" but what exactly does that mean on a practical level?
Additionally, he blames American founding values for the modern state of moral decay but the fact of the matter is that no nation has more effectively unleashed the creative and productive potential of it's citizens for the last 200 years.
He constructs a mythical guilty suffocated white male obsessed with being the perfect harmless citizen, but outside of a few extreme self loathing personalities - I am yet to run into such a person in the real world. It seems to be an instantiated character that serves the purpose of the book.
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