People of the Lie

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Summary: The most misunderstood disease
Review: Peck did us a great service by publishing this book. If you have ever dealt with one of these "people of the lie," you will greatly appreciate the accuracy of this book. If not, it would be hard, almost impossible, to comprehend. Thans Peck, a true work of art.

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Summary: Science discovers common sense.
Review: It may take time, and bad things may happen in the interum. (Marx, Freud, Tylor, Mead, etc.) But in the end, the priests of the high religion called science often move, in crab-like fashion, towards what the rest of us knew all along. (The universe did have a beginning! Men and women are different! Faith in God is good for the soul!) This book represents a sometimes grudging but often gracious step in that direction, towards treating human beings as responsible agents, as well as victims of prior causes.

Peck tells the stories of a number of patients tinged with or affected by "evil". These stories are the heart of the book, and are well-told and fascinating. The dialogues remind me of a book Peck recommends, The Great Divorce, by C. S. Lewis. Lewis would have added that these stories are in the end about the dangers each of us face within ourselves, and Peck may have that in mind as well.

The reviewer from Greece who suggests that Peck is wrong to "label" people as "evil," has, I think, missed the point. Evil is an adjective, not a noun. The whole purpose of the book is to find a "cure" for a condition, not to banish human beings like demons from our midst. I don't know how the reader would suggest "curing" evil if she conceives of it as an ailment, but certainly that notion has proved dangerous, too! To deny our ability to do wrong is to deny our humanity; it is refreshing to see someone who calls himself a scientist take human choice seriously.

As for a cure for evil, a fascinating companion to this book would be Underground Saints, the account by the Rumanian Messianic pastor, Richard Wurmbrand, of his years as a prisoner in Romanian prison camps. (Especially his stories of the conversion of mass-murderers and the like.)

The final chapter, where Peck goes from conclusions based on his own work with patients, to discuss exorcism (!) and "group evil," are naturally the most controversial. I am not sure what to make of his observations about demon possession, which do not exactly square with any orthodoxy, especially any scientific orthodoxy. In chapter 7 Peck points out that "we scientists" are not immune to "jumping to conclusions" on subjects they do not know. This statement is, ironically, sandwiched between discussions in which Peck ventures into international politics, where he clearly does not belong. Oh well. If Peck were not one to overreach himself, we wouldn't have the rest of the book. And it is worth having.

author, Jesus and the Religions of Man [e-mail]

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Summary: Peck shines light on the darkness people try to hide
Review: A fantstic book that illustrates just how many people in our society are "people of the lie." I am not in total agreement with Peck's labelling of certain people as "evil", and a bit unsure about the chapter on demonic possession, but the remaining 95% of this work was very illuminating. This book should help the reader examine what, if any, lies they may be fostering in their own lives and to recognize the "people of the lie" in our everyday contacts and society. Highly recommended for those trying to improve themselves and make sense of "evil."

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Summary: Evil is Often Subtle
Review: M. Scott Peck, author of many "pop-pschology" works like "The Road Less Traveled" has written a very engaging and insightful book about human evil.

Chapters like "Encountering Evil in Everday Life" are thought provoking and strong. Writing about case studies, of whom most are clients, Dr Peck draws us into this world movingly.

"Mylai: An Examination of Group Evil", is consuming. Even though I'm not sure if I buy all of his positions, I still find his examination of this processe compelling. Most compelling is his asertion that during the Vietnam War, most of the military people didn't even understand the history or issues of Vietnam and why they were going off to fight the battle. People end up just following along - accepting their role or fate in life. This examination explains much and is worth more careful study.

The chapter "Of Possession and Exorcism" is interesting and entertianing. This study is less academic, but effectively works because it helps quicken the pase after chapter 4, which is slower.

A great book and probably his best.

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Summary: One of the Most Crucial Works for the 20th Century
Review: M. Scott Peck's work is exemplary and clearly shows the connections between "Evil" (defined as, "The exercise of political power--that is, the imposition of one's will upon others by overt or covert coercion--in order to avoid. . . spiritual growth.") and its psychological disorder best described as, "narcissistic personality disorder" taken to the extreme to produce symptoms of, "abulatory schizophrenia". While reaching for this lofty, clinical definition his clear and enjoyable writing styles make this work accessable to the casual observer.

His examples of interaction with patients that he determines to be "evil" are lucid and informative. Done in the style of, "The Road Less Traveled" he makes clear points in each case history to further his argument that "Evil" is not just a religious topic for the subjective churchgoer. He shows that it is a clearly defined character disorder with roots in abusive upbringing. It is this very point that causes so much controversy. Any person who does not appreciate the power and helpfulness of this book is stymied by the word "Evil" and cannot seperate their understanding of the word from its previous context of religious iconography. This is exactly why the work is seminal and hearald to a new way of thinking. I consider the tandem work of this and "The Road Less Traveled" as part of the natural evolution of thought straight down from Freud, Jung and Maslow.

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Summary: A MUST READ FOR ANYONE LIVING WITH A NARCISSIST
Review: Peck's work is truly ground-breaking. His courage in identifying evil as (1) a diagnosable clinical reality and (2) a self-perpetuating spiritual affliction for human beings is illuminating and profound. While he writes from a clearly Christian perspective, this is by no means a religious book. His prediction that the narcissistically evil would use self-help therapy readings (including his own) to further harm others and become even more unhealty has been noted by subsequent authors, notably Vaknin and Alford. This is likely a book you'll be tempted to re-read periodically.

Several case studies are included, as well as several professional failures on the author's part to address the dysfuntions of the clinically evil. Their baffling behavior is brilliantly recounted in this book, as well as a concise overview of why the evil think and behave as they do. He makes a strong case for the position that narcissism is as much a spiritual disease as it is a character disorder.

For those who have been harmed by the narcisscist, however, this book is an excellent reality-check- especially if they continue to live or interact with those who suffer from NPD or who simply possess narcisscistic traits in conjunction with various other disorders. While Peck's observation that such character-flawed people remain unresponsive to treatment (or improvement) is unfortunately accurate, this is still a hopeful book for the spouses, ex-spouses,children, employees, and other victims of the narcisscist.

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Summary: Yes, there's evil, but...
Review: I read and enjoyed The Road Less Traveled, but I think Peck went off the deep end with this one.

I'm assuming that this book was published before the widespread acceptance of biological causes of mental illness, since Peck's "case studies" that appear to be primarily cases of obsessive-compulsive disorder, major depression, borderline personality disorder or some form of psychosis, all of which are now treatable with drugs. (I'm betting that Haldol, Seroquel and Prozac, as well as behavioral therapy, all have better treatment rates than exorcism). But even in the late 80's, these theories were gaining credence and psychiatrists were willing to experiment with treatment options other than the "talking cure." I find Peck's willingness to ascribe his patients' difficulties to "evil" or demonic possession not only ludicrous, but irresponsible. I hope he didn't write that on their charts.

The case studies he cites certainly illustrate that people are capable of evil--no secret to anyone who watches Court TV. But Peck seems curiously limited in his view. For example, there's Sarah, a woman who abuses her milquetoast husband. Sarah is evil, Peck maintains, but he's not really interested in how or why. If he's explored the dynamics of the relationship, he doesn't share it with us. Treatment appears to be the furthest thing from his mind. He insists that one can't "treat" evil. All right, but how did Sarah get to be this way? Original sin? Youthful experimentation with a Ouija board? Playing Dungeons & Dragons? It's more likely that she (and her spoouse) were abused or otherwise had traumatic events that caused them to accept their miserable existence as the norm and their due. But Peck doesn't deal with this possibility at all.

"Charlene," the patient who attempts to seduce Peck and (horror of horrors!) takes him away from his martinis, is clearly a messed-up young lady. Given her deteriorated (at times, seemingly delusional) condition, would it not have been more responsible for Peck to refer her to some kind of inpatient care? Or at least, since he had such difficulty dealing with her, find her another shrink?

Most of his other examples appear to be garden-variety abusive/dysfunctional families. Yes, I am aware that it is an uphill battle to get such adults or their children into treatment. But their illness is probably the result of childhood abuse or other factors, not evil. It's possible to use mental illness to explain too much. Some people probably are "just plain evil" but they are, thank God, relatively few in number.

As another reviewer stated, this book is dangerous--more because it is the modern version of burning epileptics at the stake as witches. Mental illness is biological, not moral. I hope his patients eventually got the treatment they so desperately needed.

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Summary: This book helped me deal with an evil "person of the lie."
Review: This is not a self-help book for those who ARE the "People of the Lie!" These people do not self-examine. They believe the lie, that only their desires are valid. There is no common ground on which to stand. This book can help those who have to live with them or work with them. The confusion that Dr. Peck felt while dealing with his patients is nothing compared to the disconcertion that a lay person feels. At least the doctor knew they were ill! This book helped me deal with an evil boss until I retired. I agree with Dr. Peck's advice: Get away from them, as fast as you can! In the meantime, read this book so you will know that it's not you who is sick, but them.

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Summary: I Couldn't Put It Down...
Review: People of the Lie is a horrifying series of case studies of people Peck labels "evil" interwoven with a careful analysis and synthesis of the underlying issues by Dr. Peck. Although the Bible provided for the category of "evil people" thousands of years ago, I am amazed that a member of the psychiatric community is willing to swim against the prevailing tide of our "politically correct" post-modern culture and label some behaviors - and people - as evil - and insightfully points to "the lie" as the inner core. There may be those who are fortunate enough to never have contact with such people. During my 42 years, I have known only one person that I think really fits Peck's very narrowly defined criteria, but when you've had experience with a truely evil person, up close and personal, you gain an enormous appreciation for Peck's work. As a conservative evangelical Christian pastor, I cannot give a blanket recommendation of the book's theology, yet what remains is worth whatever shortcoming I find in this area. Thanks, Dr. Peck, for this insightful, much needed and appreciated volume.

Rating:
Summary: Should be published in a medical journal, not as a paperback
Review: I am a fan of Scott Peck, and think that he is an intelligent writer. It is for this reason that I have given this book two stars.

It is however, not a book I would recommend, as I believe the target audience should be the medical profession, psychiatrists, phychologists, even theologians, i.e Dr. Peck's peers. His work should be judged and debated by those who have most knowledge of the dangerous and difficult subject of the human mind and psyche.

A few years sgo, as I was walking down a street, a young guy stopped me and asked me to answer three questions on life. He then led me into a building to do a more lengthy test on my state of mind. The results of the test showed me to be a person suffering from events currently happening in my life and events in my childhood. I was surprised by the results as I considered myself to be happy, content and strong. It was only when I managed to get away from the testers and the environment that I realised how much they had been playing with my mind.....................

Messing with psychology and people's minds is dangerous and must be left to professionals. It is laziness on Dr. Peck's part to not evaluate his target audience with care, and to put in the hands of the public a body of work that can mess with their minds. His work should be judged and debated by his peers, not the general public. If you think this is a good book, you will start to evalute every act of meanness as evil, although Dr. peck implores you not you. Every person who repulses you will be evil as would be every egotistical person. You will not be able to help yourself, because that is what the book teaches you do. For Dr. Peck to say that he warned against doing that is not good enough. This is a dangerous book, and Dr. Peck must suffer from some of the neuroses he describes, to target this book to the general public.