Since relocating, my uncle has set aside six books for me to read while recommending another ten or so from this numerous shelves. Consequently, I have been reading If This is a Man, by Primo Levi, an Italial Jew who spent almost two years in Auschwitz. The book contains three novellas about his experiences: his time in camp, reawakening after the German capitulation, and trying to make sense of the rest of his life. Reading this book directly contrasts with my desire to become less serious and more fun; it is a painful story to follow and one almost feels guilty reading it in sunlight with abundant freedom, nature, and food.

Often, the author turns his attention to philosophical statements regarding the nature of man. This reaffirmed a prior thought I first had while watching news of the latest middle east battle: man is a beast. Man is an animal. Man is not some enlightened creature with a superior moral code and intellect that differentiates him from the rest of the animal kingdom. Man is an animal like all the rest, a predator, a survivor, and the physcial instinct for violence has been replaced somewhat by a mental instinct for it.

There will always be war. Man knows no other way to survive but to inflict violence to protect himself or eliminate a rival or secure new territory or for a reason he cannot truly discern, but simply because he must. Primo Levi discovered the terrible depths of evil that a man may explore. I wonder, do other animals torture?

I am not educated enough to wax philosophical for very long or with much credibility. But when people discuss Israel, Iran, Hezbollah, Muslims, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Iraq, etc., I think there may be no point in any of the effort. These situations will always exist until the human race destroys itself. Apocalyptic and sadistic, perhaps, but I write this with enough detachment and self-interest to remain hopeful about little things like the sun rising tomorrow or my job prospects.