Three books to base a society on.

Raesvelg

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Oct 22, 2008
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1. The Killing Star, by Pellegrino and Zebrowski
2. Guns, Germs, and Steel, by Jared Diamond
3. Snow Crash, by Neal Stephenson

I want a constructively paranoid society that knows where it came from, and thinks about where it's going.
 

Shdwrnr

Waka waka waka
May 20, 2011
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1. Atlas Shrugged
2. Starship Troopers
3. Nicomachean Ethics

Militarist Objectivist Eudaimonia ftw
 

Rblade

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Mar 1, 2010
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1 Physics for scientists and engineers (a 1500 page introduction to pretty much every basic coscience you can think off)
2 Some condensed history book off all the things
3 collected works of shakespear, because that would catch the most birds with 1 stone.

boring straight up answer but everyone seems to be overseeing that without some kind of science manual we would be banging stuff with rocks and sticks for a couple thousand years. Plus I would be a fan of a logic and science based society
 

Saxnot

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Mar 1, 2010
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Darken12 said:
In the interest of perpetuating my desired future area of expertise (forensics) and facilitating my status as a crime-solving individual, I would choose:

1) Murder on the Orient Express, by Agatha Christie.
2) The Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.
3) And Then There Were None, by Agatha Christie.

Please note that two of these books involve crimes that would remain unsolved were it not for the confession of the criminals themselves. The difficulty setting of this world would be Hardcore Hell Nightmare.
you're planning a society based on murder mysteries? i don't think any society can sustain more than one Sherlock holmes or Hercule Poirot...
 

DkLnBr

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Apr 2, 2009
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1. The Bible
2. The God Delusion
3. Coping with Anxiety

Just so I can see what happens
 

Mr.PlanetEater

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May 17, 2009
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1.) The Oxford Dictionary
2.) On the Origin of Species
3.) Charles Manson's Manifesto.

Sure the last one would ensure my society is full of bigots, but they'd be bigots with impeccable perspicacity and a deep knowledge of Evolution.
 

Mr.Mattress

Level 2 Lumberjack
Jul 17, 2009
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1) The Messenger by Markus Zusak
2) Captain Underpants by Dave Pilkey
3) Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
 

LtWigglesworth

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Jan 4, 2012
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1) The Merck Manual.
2) Perry's Chemical engineering handbook.
3) Marks'Standard Handbook for Mechanical Engineers.

Now we can rebuild, using these books as references, and structural components of our buildings!
 

Darken12

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Apr 16, 2011
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Saxnot said:
you're planning a society based on murder mysteries? i don't think any society can sustain more than one Sherlock holmes or Hercule Poirot...
You'd be surprised, actually. With so many unsolvable murders, even the greatest detective would have their hands full all the time.
 

Lord Garnaat

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Apr 10, 2012
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1. To Kill A Mockingbird: my personal favorite, a wonderful story about prejudice, hate, and probably one of the best examples of humanity ever portrayed in literature.

2. The New Testament: bit of a clique, but I think that belief in a higher cause to be vital for a functioning society. Which leads to the problem with my last choice...

3. I'm a little conflicted on this one. On the one hand, I think that some sort of history of the United States or some kind of guide to a democratic society could work well. On the other hand, something like the Hagakure that lists ways to create a society that focuses on harmony and cohesion for the greater good would do wonders as well. Or perhaps some sort of handbook of law? So many choices...
 

uhaveachoice81

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Mar 31, 2013
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klaynexas3 said:
1. Atlas Shrugged
2. The Communist Manifesto
3. Mein Kempf

I want to see how that world would turn out.
Atlas Shrugged and The Communist Manifesto would cancel each other out, so it would just be a chronicle of Hitler's pre-Fuhrer-swag life and beliefs.
 

Jodokh

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Oct 2, 2012
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1) Twlight (any of em)
2) Harry Potter (any of em)
3) Hunger Games (any of em)

...Might be interesting?...
 

Demonjazz

Sexually identifies as Tiefling
Sep 13, 2008
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1: the script from Batman the musical
2: Don Quixote
3:A guide to Pokemon Black
So pretty much we would have people dressing up as bats and fighting crime while breaking out in musical numbers, Crazy idealists causing havoc, and ten year olds with giant monsters
 

IamLEAM1983

Neloth's got swag.
Aug 22, 2011
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1. The Necronomicon
2. The Book of Eibon
3. The Unaussprelichen Kulten

Because squids snoozing eons away in underwater cities are so totally kawaii. Why bother basing a society off of any books when you can just perform some eldritch witchery and rise a dormant one out of the waters? Totally less work there.
 

mbarker

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Nov 12, 2008
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1.Oxford English Dictionary
2. The complete works of Plato
3. The Complete works of HP Lovecraft

If I'm only allowed to bring three books from my book shelf I might as well get the biggest bang for my buck.

Now if I'm only allowed to bring three books that aren't complete works I would have to pick:

1. The Infinity Wars
2. The Watchmen
3. The Sneetches

I couldn't help it I need to put a fourth book, Practical Watch Repair.
 

Diddy_Mao

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Jan 14, 2009
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Einstein's Dreams by Alan Lightman
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Universe by Douglas Adams
and
Summa Theologica by Thomas Aquinas

The first two because they're probably some of the best and entertaining "plain language" introductions to the beauty of critical thought which is something any society I build is going to need plenty of.

And the last because it's an important reminder of how easy it is for a well structured and influential argument to be made on a faulty premise.
 

BiscuitTrouser

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May 19, 2008
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DkLnBr said:
1. The Bible
2. The God Delusion
3. Coping with Anxiety

Just so I can see what happens
I laughed so hard i snorted my water. I dunno if i should thank you or swear at you.

Hmmmm. I would say:

1. To kill a mocking bird - Practical lessons on life, how to be a good father
2. The moral landscape - Morality on a secular basis
3. A begginers guide to the scientific method - Rationality AWAY!

I could explain everything else.

I dont think the bible is a very good option to be frank. I cant think of a single time someone came along to a new civilization and tried to thrust a bible in their faces and it ended well at all. Ever. People in my society can believe whatever the fuck they did before i arrive as long as it results in moral practices. Its a little bit hilarious how people think people in the society will be more moral if they are christian. This is blatently and demonstrably untrue.
 

MopBox

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Sep 7, 2012
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Double A said:
The Color of Magic
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
Pokemon Adventures

Do I win?
I have tried to start reading The Color of Magic like six times now but I can never break past the first chapter. Does really merit continuing effort?
 

Larcenist

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Apr 22, 2011
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Neuromancer by William Gibson
Faust by J. W. von Goethe
Aniara by Harry Martinson

Would be interesting if anything.