I have read a number of books by Paul Theroux across the years:
The Great Railway Bazaar, Millroy the Magician, Dark Star Safari, Sunrises and Seamonsters are listed in my summer journals, in addition, of course, Deep South.
I really love travel writing, and I would say Dark Star Safari is one of the finest travel books I’ve ever savored. I haven’t read Burma Sahib, but the questions that it raised for you are certainly very similar to ones that have baffled me as well. I cannot grasp deep hatred, cruelty, mad violence, or torture. I’m one of those who opts out of movies where these attributes are illuminated. But the question that I hope you will cause us all to continuously probe is what can cause people to elevate their character and enter a realm where there is a deeply-felt respect for humanity. Does harsh narcissism make this impossible?
I too have been thinking about this lately. Whether the slide is going to become an unrecoverable earthquake. Oddly, in that regard, I've also been thinking of a Chinese or Russian kid who is taught the tyrant's view of the world. With no counter information, they believe the falsehoods. My hope is that we have enough education, enough elders who see what's happening that we can recover, because if the younger generation comes to believe the lies, I think we are lost. (Sorry to be so depressing, but here we are...)
I share your worry, along with the worry that some in more open societies don't think they can believe anyone or anything: "They're all the same." "It doesn't matter whether you vote or not." "You can't believe anyone." And so on. Dangerous in a democracy.
I have read a number of books by Paul Theroux across the years:
The Great Railway Bazaar, Millroy the Magician, Dark Star Safari, Sunrises and Seamonsters are listed in my summer journals, in addition, of course, Deep South.
I really love travel writing, and I would say Dark Star Safari is one of the finest travel books I’ve ever savored. I haven’t read Burma Sahib, but the questions that it raised for you are certainly very similar to ones that have baffled me as well. I cannot grasp deep hatred, cruelty, mad violence, or torture. I’m one of those who opts out of movies where these attributes are illuminated. But the question that I hope you will cause us all to continuously probe is what can cause people to elevate their character and enter a realm where there is a deeply-felt respect for humanity. Does harsh narcissism make this impossible?
Great piece. “Orwell later summed up his rationale for writing: I write . . . because there is some lie that I want to expose.”
I too have been thinking about this lately. Whether the slide is going to become an unrecoverable earthquake. Oddly, in that regard, I've also been thinking of a Chinese or Russian kid who is taught the tyrant's view of the world. With no counter information, they believe the falsehoods. My hope is that we have enough education, enough elders who see what's happening that we can recover, because if the younger generation comes to believe the lies, I think we are lost. (Sorry to be so depressing, but here we are...)
I share your worry, along with the worry that some in more open societies don't think they can believe anyone or anything: "They're all the same." "It doesn't matter whether you vote or not." "You can't believe anyone." And so on. Dangerous in a democracy.
As always fascinating and beautifully written