43 pages • 1 hour read
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Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.
1. What was your initial reaction to Snyder’s warning that American democracy could be as vulnerable as the failed European democracies of the 20th century? Did his historical parallels change how you view democratic institutions?
2. Snyder uses a concise writing style with short chapters and direct instructions. How effective did you find this approach for communicating the urgency of his message?
3. In what ways does Snyder’s practical approach in On Tyranny differ from the theoretical treatment of authoritarianism in works like Hannah Arendt’s The Origins of Totalitarianism? What makes his format particularly accessible or challenging?
Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.
1. Chapter 1 warns against “anticipatory obedience” to authority figures. When have you witnessed people conforming without question in your workplace, community, or social circles?
2. Teresa Prekerowa “stood out” by helping Warsaw ghetto residents at great personal risk. What acts of courage have you performed or witnessed that challenged an unjust consensus?
3. How do you balance digital convenience with the privacy concerns Snyder raises in Chapter 14?
4. Snyder writes that “having old friends is the politics of last resort” (82) when describing the importance of maintaining personal connections. How have your community relationships shaped your political awareness?
5. When have international perspectives helped you see your political system more clearly?
6. The final lesson states: “If none of us is prepared to die for freedom, then all of us will die under tyranny” (177). What values or principles would motivate you to take significant personal risks?
Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes.
1. How has the American belief that threats primarily come from outside its borders shaped its national security priorities?
2. Snyder describes how emergencies have historically been exploited to dismantle democratic institutions. What recent events have you seen used to justify expanding government powers at the expense of civil liberties?
3. The distinction between nationalism and patriotism forms a crucial part of Snyder’s argument. How do these competing approaches to national identity manifest in contemporary political rhetoric and movements?
Dive into the book’s structure, characters, themes, and symbolism.
1. What effect does Snyder’s choice to structure the book as 20 lessons rather than a traditional narrative have on its persuasiveness?
2. Nazi Germany and Soviet Russia serve as recurring historical touchpoints throughout the text. How do these examples strengthen or potentially limit Snyder’s argument about contemporary threats?
3. The manipulation of language appears throughout Snyder’s analysis of authoritarian tactics. Which examples of linguistic distortion did you find most revealing about the relationship between language and power?
4. How do the concepts of “inevitability politics” and “eternity politics” work together as complementary threats despite their apparent opposition?
5. Snyder develops the theme of “civil society” as a bulwark against authoritarian control. What specific examples most effectively illustrated this concept?
6. The book alternates between historical analysis and practical advice for readers. Did you find one approach more compelling than the other in conveying Snyder’s message?
Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.
1. Create a 21st lesson to add to Snyder’s list. What would you title it and what historical examples would support your addition?
2. Design a visual representation for one of Snyder’s lessons that could serve as a public reminder of democratic values. What imagery would effectively communicate concepts like “defending institutions”?
3. Snyder mentions Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451 when discussing the simplification of language by autocrats. Describe how the characters in Bradbury’s novel might have applied Snyder’s lessons to resist their dystopian society.
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