M. Scott PeckM. Scott Peck
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The Different Drum: Community Making and Peace Paperback – January 2, 1998
by M. Scott Peck (Author)
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 173 ratings
3.9 on Goodreads
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'The overall purpose of human communication is - or should be - reconciliation. It should ultimately serve to lower or remove the walls of misunderstanding which unduly separate us human beings, one from another...' Although we have developed the technology to make communication more efficent and to bring people closer together, we have failed to use it to build a true global community. Dr M. Scott Peck believes that if we are to prevent civilization destroying itself, we must urgently rebuild on all levels, local, national and international and that is the first step to spiritual survival. In this radical and challenging book, he describes how the communities work, how group action can be developed on the principles of tolerance and love, and how we can start to transform world society into a true community.
About the Author
M. Scott Peck, M.D. is the author of the New York Times best-seller The Road Less Traveled, with six million copies in print. His other books include Further Along the Road Less Traveled, The Road Less Traveled and Beyond, Meditations from the Road and Golf and the Spirit.
Product details
Publisher : Touchstone; 2nd Touchstone edition (January 2, 1998)
Language : English
Paperback : 334 pages
ISBN-10 : 0684848589
ISBN-13 : 978-0684848587
Item Weight : 15.2 ounces
Dimensions : 5.5 x 0.8 x 8.5 inchesBest Sellers Rank: #319,490 in Books (See
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 173 ratings
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M. Scott Peck
M. Scott Peck's publishing history reflects his own evolution as a serious and widely acclaimed writer, thinker, psychiatrist, and spiritual guide. Since his groundbreaking bestseller, The Road Less Traveled, was first published in 1978, his insatiable intellectual curiosity has taken him in various new directions with virtually each new book: the subject of healing human evil in People of the Lie (1982), where he first briefly discussed exorcism and possession; the creative experience of community in The Different Drum (1987); the role of civility in personal relationships and society in A World Waiting to Be Born (1993); an examination of the complexities of life and the paradoxical nature of belief in Further Along the Road Less Traveled (1993); and an exploration of the medical, ethical, and spiritual issues of euthanasia in Denial of the Soul (1999); as well as a novel, a children's book, and other works. A graduate of both Harvard University and Case Western Reserve, Dr. Peck served in the Army Medical Corps before maintaining a private practice in psychiatry. For the last twenty years, he has devoted much of his time and financial resources to the work of the Foundation for Community Encouragement, a nonprofit organization that he helped found in 1984. Dr. Peck lives in Connecticut.
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Chef Jemichel
5.0 out of 5 stars "The Salvation Of The World"?Reviewed in the United States on July 18, 2010
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Of all the books I have ever read I have the greatest wonder as to why I hadn't found this one twenty three years ago when it was first published! After all, I had already been searching for authentic community since nine years earlier! But it wasn't until last year that I finally had a loaned copy of the book in my hands whereupon I quickly read and skipped into what I determined was the real meat of the material. Having done that I determined to get my own copy which I recently did through Amazon. The book just happened to be in my lap when the offer came from Amazon to write a review.
If you have any interest about what makes for authentic community then "The Different Drum" is absolutely a must-read. Scott Peck had the great fortune of having several experiences of genuine community at different times and in different environments and he later was able to identify the stages of community-making which is an organic process and yet something that doesn't necessarily come "naturally". What does come naturally is our social conditioning, which can manifest an appearance of community that Scott calls Pseudo-community. One growth step beyond Pseudo-community is "Chaos". I would not have known that such a stage is included in the organic development of community had I not read this book! And had I not known this I would have ran away from the community group that I'm in now where we have experienced this necessary stage. I imagine that there have many people who have left groups during the chaos stage because they did not know this was a necessary part of community-making! For that reason alone this book is indispensable for virtually all community seekers! Yet there is so much more to be gained from this treasure book! The growth and transformation and healing of the individual along with community-making is wonderfully portrayed! None of these developments can be accomplished on our own just as individuals and therefore knowing what makes for authentic community becomes a rare knowledge that I believe is needed now more than ever before. Could this knowledge be the: "The Salvation Of The World"? Maybe not just in and of itself. However, if this knowledge leads one into genuine community where the truth of who and what we are (as well as all others) is well received, respected and treasured then I think we can begin to answer this question for ourselves in very meaningful ways!
3 people found this helpful
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Andrew S.
5.0 out of 5 stars One of my top 10 books of all timeReviewed in the United States on January 11, 2023
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This book is a must read for anyone who seeks true collaboration and understanding in this self-righteous world. Dr. Peck always reminds me that how I live is a choice, and i have the power to choose love.
4 people found this helpful
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K. Toms
4.0 out of 5 stars heartening to know the signs of community in progressReviewed in the United States on November 25, 2008
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I read this book years ago, and it has lived with me since. It's heartening to understand that anger and silence are stages in community building--not signs of its demise. It's good to know, too, that pseudo-politeness must go before real community can flourish.
Nearly all of us are members of communities--whether in committed partnerships, friendships, or larger groups. Peck's examination of the lives and deaths of communities offers encouragement to hang in there through anger and emptiness, for the real rewards are coming.
2 people found this helpful
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S. Walsh
5.0 out of 5 stars Another good one from M. Scott PeckReviewed in the United States on December 19, 2009
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M. Scott Peck does it again. His books have always struck a chord with me due to their wisdom, sincerity, and practicality. This book definitely does for groups what The Road Less Traveled does for individuals. It explains the problems with the simplistic views on groups that are prevalent nowadays, and instead pleads for people to learn not to tolerate, but to welcome and celebrate individual differences. However, it is realistic in its recognition that forming a true community where individual differences are celebrated will require the hard work of emptying ourselves of our own prejudices and preconceived notions. Highly, highly recommended for just about anyone.
6 people found this helpful
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Bruce Ra
5.0 out of 5 stars Rebuilding communities, personal connections, is primary to healing just about everythingReviewed in the United States on October 31, 2018
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A group of us have been struggling with starting a small community. We have looked at groups that have lasted for more than 30 years, to see how they stay together. Everything Scott Peck has said in this book is practiced in some way by those groups. It was great to see the process outlined for how to jump-start a group more reliably than just luck.
10 people found this helpful
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Jon D. Angeli
3.0 out of 5 stars Good Community basics-- fuzzy theologyReviewed in the United States on March 7, 2010
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Peck presents some sound theoretical and practical tools for community building. He focuses more on community building as social action than on bringing geographical groups together for mutual support such as neighborhoods and the more vulnerable. His theology is fuzzy at best and distorts Christianity into a justification for world government. While his intentions around that are honest; his theological gymnastics aren't.
One person found this helpful
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Runa
5.0 out of 5 stars This caliber of government would eliminate war.Reviewed in the United States on October 3, 2019
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A lovely book by the psychiatrist who gave us "The Road Less Taken," describing true "community" and how a group can achieve it, which could some day lead to world peace. How can we get President Trump to read it?
2 people found this helpful
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keith carpenter
4.0 out of 5 stars Great info.Reviewed in the United States on May 25, 2013
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Have not read the book yet, I am currently reading "The Road Less Traveled". I did order the audio version and listened to it in my truck. This would have gotten 5 stars if it had been an mpeg or at the very least a CD. I ordered the audio and a package was delivered that when opened contained cassette tapes. Really! I must be an idiot because I sure never seen I was getting a cassette.
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ben
5.0 out of 5 stars Five StarsReviewed in Canada on January 29, 2018
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tks
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philippe pellen
5.0 out of 5 stars The Different Drum: Community Making and Peace.Reviewed in France on July 17, 2014
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Je l'ai acheté et lu dès sa parution, ses précédents livres, depuis "Le chemin le moins fréquenté, m'avaient tous passionnés. J'avais déjà mis un bref commentaire en 1987, et j'avais tenté de le traduire en Français, à plusieurs reprises,sans penser à ces moments-là à participer à un atelier de "Community Building", me sentant pas prêt à parler durant 2 jours en Anglais,et trouver l'argent nécessaire pour un séjour et aller-retour France-Usa. N'ayant pas abandonné le projet, au bout de 27 ans!!! Je suis allé,cette année 2014, en Angleterre participer à mon premier "Community Building Workshop",et je suis prêt à recommencer encore et encore, car, pour moi, ce processus réponds à un besoin profond de communauté vraie.
Je le recommande car ce livre profondément humain, réponds à nos besoins de spiritualité, de communauté, et de sécurité vraie, si sa lecture vous amène à expérimenter ce processus. Pour moi ce livre est le plus important des centaines de livres que j'ai lu jusqu'à présent.
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Amazon Customer
2.0 out of 5 stars Not enough exploration of proposed community buildingReviewed in Australia on January 17, 2020
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Too much time spent on authors credentials by talking of his experience in various situations unrelated to everyday life. Not enough exploration of methodology
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Betty Arsenijevic
3.0 out of 5 stars OKReviewed in Canada on January 18, 2018
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At this point in my life I am able to see through different writers. Scott Speck had limited scope of things and understanding how things function. Or being a mason, he didn't wish to reveal the full truth of things - and this also includes his book on the Glimpses of the Devil. I have read and thrown out 2 of his books.
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Starman
5.0 out of 5 stars Life changingReviewed in the United Kingdom on August 17, 2018
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Helped provide a healthy wider context for the success or ailure of the groups and gatherings I have found myself involved in. It seems there really are guiding principles that cause groups to fail or succeed, and I think this book provides helpful insights into that.
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