Book · 1953
Hitler's Table Talk
1941 - 1944. The mind of Adolf Hitler
Why people recommend it
Hitler's Table Talk by Hugh R. Trevor-Roper compiles the spontaneous mealtime monologues and remarks made by Adolf Hitler between 1939 and 1942, as recorded by his secretaries. Jordan Peterson brought up the book on multiple episodes of The Joe Rogan Experience to illustrate psychological concepts. On one occasion, Peterson used the book to explain disgust sensitivity and orderliness, while on another appearance, he examined the specific metaphors Hitler used to describe minority groups. Peterson noted that the volume provides direct insight into the dictator's unfiltered ideology as he spontaneously expounded on the structure of reality during dinner. The book is referenced in these academic and psychological discussions not to endorse its contents, but to analyze the dangerous underlying cognitive structures, authoritarian mindsets, and pathological worldviews that facilitated totalitarian atrocities. By examining these primary sources, the podcast discussions aim to dissect the psychological mechanisms of ideological possession, mass persuasion, and the horrific rationalizations constructed by extremist leaders during the twentieth century.
Who recommended it
- Jordan Peterson Discussed
Jordan Peterson — 2 mentions
“now when I was sorting this out I was reading Hitler's Table Talk and Hitler's Table Talk is a very interesting book it's a book of his spontaneous mealtime utterances from 1939 to 1940 -”
“I went back and looked at Hitler's table talk it's a book Hitler's table talk and he wrote that it it was derived from notes that were taken by his secretaries between 1939 and 1942 when he was eating dinner and spontaneously expounding on the structure of reality”