History is littered with charlatans and soothsayers, claiming to know a path to the promised land. They live off the goodwill of their followers while leading them to disaster. Some amass fortunes through their deceit. Others, have a legitimate grievance but soon learn that there’s a profit in being the answer to so many. They are charismatic, cunning, and self-serving.
Featuring Nine Notorous Historical Figures
Karl Marx — The Father of Communism
Karl Marx is credited with advancing communist ideas and developing a framework for society, detailing everyone’s role in...
Vladimir Lenin — The Red Terror
Vladimir Lenin led a revolution, which then led to the creation of the Soviet Union. While he’s considered the leader of...
Leon Trotsky – The Enforcer
While few know of Leon Trotsky today, his tactics are commonplace in modern politics. He was constantly aggrieved and...
Joseph Stalin — Man of Steel
Joseph Stalin is an outlier in our group. He was a clod and somewhat of an outcast growing up. He was a short man at 5’ 4” and not very well-liked....
Benito Mussolini — Il Duce
Benito Mussolini, the dictator of Italy during the early 20th century, is a much-forgotten character from world history. When we think of tyrants...
Adolf Hitler — The Bohemian Corporal
Adolf Hitler, the most notorious dictator in modern history, embodies everything we think of when we describe a sinister and evil individual....
Marshall Applewhite — Do Re Mi
On March 26, 1997, police officers found the bodies of 39 men in a Rancho Santa Fe mansion. The authorities were tipped off by an anonymous 911...
Jim Jones — Father
Jim Jones is a classic case of ego run amuck. He started his evangelical pursuits as a young boy, at 10. His father supported the KKK, and Jim Jones...
Charles Manson — Daddy
This may be the most compelling story of them all. We all know of the Tate/LaBianca murders from 1969. Charles Manson used every “tool” available to...
The Art of Deception
This is one of the most important chapters because it’s relevant today. Soothsayers, charlatans, and authoritarians have a big toolbox and are adept...
Manipulating the Vote
So, the loser-leader and his or her pals cannot sway enough people to vote for their position. The toolbox is still full of unused tactics for just...
About the Book
Many of the “Good-willed,” don’t care about the cause or the people they claim to serve. The suffering only serves to stoke the flames of their personal failures and the entities (people, corporations, races, aliens, the list goes on) that are responsible for their suffering.
Follow the Loser takes a look into the dark shadows and deep secrets of some of the most prominent leaders of the past two centuries.
There was a long list of people considered, but I settled on nine, and for specific reasons. The focus of the book is on the techniques people use to deceive an audience and gain their support. It also looks into the dumpster fire of their personal lives and asks the question, “Why would anyone follow these utter failures?”
We begin with Karl Marx, the Father of Communism. He’s often referred to as an intellectual and high-thinker. He spent much of his time getting drunk and causing problems.
We then go to characters from the Russian Revolution and the founders of the Soviet Union. These are Vladimir Lenin, Leon Trotsky, and Joseph Stalin. You’d be hard-pressed to find any virtue among these guys. And while Lenin is credited for the revolution that unseated the Romanov dynasty, he wasn’t even present at any of the major protests.
From there, we go to the archenemies of communism, the fascists. For this, we look into the lives of Benito Mussolini and Adolf Hitler. Mussolini was the founder of the fascist party and was admired by Hitler. You’ll be surprised to learn what fascism really means, from the man who created the party. I thought everything about Hitler was already common knowledge, but there is so much that was overlooked within our historical references. You’ll have to hold on tight through this chapter.
By this time, you’ll notice common traits among all of these despots. When we visit cults and cult leaders, you’ll be stunned to find these same tactics at work. The purpose of this book is less about the subjects researched and more about the techniques they use for controlling people. Their cause (political, spiritual, or a movement based on fear and paranoia) is secondary. Controlling people is easy once you understand how.
Here, we look into the lives of Marshall Applewhite from Heaven’s Gate, Jim Jones from the People’s Temple, and Charles Manson, who was popularized after the Tate-LaBianca murders.
Along with the characters researched for this book, we’ll look at the techniques in great detail. For this, there are three chapters:
- Isms: We’ll explore things like capitalism, communism, liberalism, fascism, and many more. It’ll give you a full and complete understanding of these terms and where they originated.
- The Art of Deceit: Here are all the tactics you saw in action through the various characters. Once you understand this chapter, you’ll never find yourself bamboozled by big talk and a charismatic smile.
- Manipulating the vote: This chapter details the commonly-used methods for circumventing the voter or the outcome of a vote. You saw how our characters achieved a one-party rule. That is the goal of every tyrant. These tactics are at work today. After this chapter, you’ll spot them from across the street.
This topic might seem boring, but you won’t find that here. You’ll be stunned, amused, and find more humor than you think possible. After all, learning can be fun, too.
author
About the Author
Dennis Madden, along with his wife, Jennifer, lives in Southern California. Dennis spent most of his career in the automotive business, specifically the automatic transmission rebuilding industry. He’s worked as a rebuilder, trainer, speaker, author, and finally, as the CEO of the largest trade association in the industry.
His hobbies include BBQ, music, and gardening. As an avid history buff and political junkie, he began researching world leaders for fun, eight years ago. After about three years (and a pile of research material), he collected his notes, which began the formation of this book.