Why did you write Path to Power, Road to Ruin?

I have always loved history and majored in it at Yale. When I graduated, I decided it would be more practical to undertake a career in business. I did so, but I made a promise to myself that in retirement, I would return to the study of history and perhaps write a book on some important historical issue. Path to Power, Road to Ruin: The Dangers of Political and Religious Ideologies is the fulfillment of that promise.

How did you write Path to Power, Road to Ruin?

Since I had spent my entire professional life doing research and analysis to solve difficult business problems, it was not a stretch to think that I could, given my education, complete the study required to write a historical book. As you can see, I was indeed able to do so. But when it came to writing the book, I hired a professional editor, who had worked with several successful authors, to review my drafts and make suggestions to improve the book’s structure and presentation.

How did you research the book?

My research followed a sequential process over several years. It started with a single issue, i.e., the surprising extent of mass-killing events in history. Then it broadened to include an assessment of the ideological causes of these incidents, which was subsequently expanded to an extensive analysis of political and religious ideologies and their drivers. Finally, I studied human thinking processes and the psychology behind ideological acceptance to understand why people have always been so vulnerable to ideological appeals.

What were your goals for the book?

To get people to reduce their dependence on ideologies and ideological thinking by: making them aware of the serious consequences of embracing their favored ideologies, showing them that their ideologies had only limited validity, and suggesting ways in which they could successfully challenge their beliefs and become masters of their own destiny.

What is the core message of your book?

Ideologies are being used against us. More than ever, power-hungry leaders exploit our vulnerability to belief-based appeals to advance their own personal agenda at our expense. We must clearly recognize what we face as we are bombarded by the deceptive narratives our leaders promote. My research into the basis of ideologies helps expose the myths surrounding political and religious ideologies. Using historical and current examples, I explain their true nature, what drives their success, and why they are so dangerous for us all.

Why did you independently publish the book?

It was a matter of timing. I completed my book in the middle of the 2024 U.S. presidential campaign, when ideological battles were taking place on a global scale. It was a perfect occasion for a book on ideology and its dangers. I would have preferred to find a quality publisher. But, given that other indie authors told me that they spent years trying to get published, I made the choice to seize what was potentially a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Portions of this Q&A were edited for clarity.