The Magus, John Fowles

Anybody ever read this book?

"I am going to explain to you why we went to war. Why mankind always does to war. It is not social or political. It is not countries that go to war, but men. It is like salt. Once one has been to war, one has salt for the rest of one's life. Men love war because it allows them to look serious. Because it is the one thing that stops women from laughing at them. Night fell again. There was war to the south, but our sector was quiet. The battle was over. Our casualties were some thirteen thousand killed--thirteen thousand minds, memories, loves, sensations, worlds, universes--because the human mind is more a universe than the universe itself--and all for a few hundred yards of useless mud."

Originally posted by Hand of Hecate
Anybody ever read this book?

"I am going to explain to you why we went to war. Why mankind always does to war. It is not social or political. It is not countries that go to war, but men. It is like salt. Once one has been to war, one has salt for the rest of one's life. Men love war because it allows them to look serious. Because it is the one thin ...[text shortened]... is more a universe than the universe itself--and all for a few hundred yards of useless mud."

Originally posted by mlprior
If men feel like they have to go to war to be MEN, I would rather they just go out back and chop some wood and slaughter a chicken for dinner. Same effect.

They still get to dominate and kill something and smash something apart. The only difference is it would be constructive as opposed to destructive.

Originally posted by rhb
Walk a mile in the Chickens shoes and tell us it's not destructive.

Originally posted by rhb
Walk a mile in the Chickens shoes and tell us it's not destructive.

Originally posted by mlprior
You would rather go to war than eat a chicken?

Originally posted by mlprior
You would rather go to war than eat a chicken?

Originally posted by mlprior
You would rather go to war than eat a chicken?

Originally posted by Nordlys
What about changing the premise and realising that men can be men without killing?

Originally posted by Nordlys
That doesn't follow at all. What about changing the premise and realising that men can be men without killing?

Originally posted by mlprior
Men don't know that. That's the point.

Originally posted by rhb
I'd milk the cow, collect the eggs, gather some deadwood....

















...then play a war game called chess!

Originally posted by Nordlys
Fixed!