What do you think?
Rate this book
88 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1752
There are even times when it is comforting to reflect that human life, with all that it contains of evil and suffering, is an infinitesimal part of the life of the universe. Such reflections may not suffice to constitute a religion, but in a painful world they are a help towards sanity and an antidote to the paralysis of utter despair.
鈥滵id you know, for example, that as I am speaking with you, there are 100,000 madmen of our species wearing hats, killing 100,000 other animals wearing turbans, or being massacred by them, and that we have used almost surface of the Earth for this purpose since time immemorial?鈥�
The Sirian shuddered, and asked the reason for these horrible quarrels between such puny animals.
鈥淚t is a matter,鈥� said the philosopher, 鈥渙f some piles of mud as big as your heel. It is not that any of these millions of men that slit each other鈥檚 throats care about this pile of mud. It is only a matter of determining if it should belong to a certain man who we call 鈥楽ultan,鈥� or to another who we call, for whatever reason, 鈥楥zar.鈥� Neither one has ever seen nor will ever see the little piece of Earth, and almost none of these animals that mutually kill themselves have ever seen the animal for which they kill.鈥�
鈥淥h! Cruel fate!鈥� cried the Sirian with indignation, 鈥渨ho could conceive of this excess of maniacal rage! It makes me want to take three steps and crush this whole anthill of ridiculous assassins.鈥�
鈥淒o not waste your time,鈥� someone responded, 鈥渢hey are working towards ruin quickly enough. Know that after ten years only one hundredth of these scoundrels will be here. Know that even if they have not drawn swords, hunger, fatigue, or intemperance will overtake them.鈥�