Haruki Murakami fans discussion
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Underground
Murakami, his non-fiction
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Underground... something completely different
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Underground is great, probably one of the best books about the topic, and one of the few non-fiction books I really enjoyed.
This is Murakami as a reporter. So very unlike his novels. To him goes the credit of attempting to look the beast in the moth without calling it a beast. Given the way much of history is written and nearly all of fiction, good guys and bad guys, it is esp important to understand that the followers, esp the operatives were certain that they were doing good. However much armies were once people just doing a job they were paid to do, this is not what we are most likely to confront.
Neither Hitler nor Stalin nor Pol Pot nor The Ayatollah, nor Osama bin Laden nor any leader you might list as an evil person -gathers their followers on the garuntee of the chance to do evil. All were, promising that the dead and the sacrificed were the payment to build something better. Most were themselves absolutely certain that they were on the right path. Followers are doing good as the light is given to them to see it.
Specific to the Subway attack:
Aum Shinrikyo the cult, could be translated to mean "Supreme Truth". Like so many religiously inspired, if you are doing God's work, by definition you are doing good. Supreme good.
My take away and warning:
There is very little evil done on this scale, except that those who do it, and lead it are absolutely and unshakeable in their belief. That is absolute uncertainty, religiously inspired, or nationalistically or party in its origination has a strong tendency to exact costs, in lives and souls, later to be regretted.
Sum:
The light which puts out our eyes is darkness to us. Henry David Thoreau
or
Seeing is limited by two borders: strong light, which blinds, and total darkness. Milan Kundera
I remember finding it fascinating how anybody could actually think that murdering so many ppl at once... is a good idea.
Eventually “only 12” ppl died... many more injured.
Physically and mentally scarred for life.
Starting now... anyone who wants to read up with me?