Chris Blattman on Why We Fight

In 'The Truce', Primo Levi recounts his eight-month journey from Auschwitz back to Turin, Italy, after the camp's liberation. The book vividly describes his experiences in various displaced persons camps and his encounters with diverse characters during his travels through Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union. Levi's narrative is marked by its vivid portrayal of humanity and the challenges of returning to normal life after such traumatic events.

This book is an autobiographical account of Primo Levi's experiences as a prisoner in Auschwitz from February 1944 to January 1945. It describes the harsh conditions, the dehumanization of prisoners, and the struggle to maintain humanity in the face of extreme suffering. Levi's narrative is characterized by its calm and reflective tone, aiming to inform readers about the atrocities of the Nazi camp system and to serve as a personal act of 'interior liberation'[3][4][5].

In this book, Roy F. Baumeister explores the concept of evil by considering the perspectives of perpetrators rather than victims. He delves into the gap between the victim's and perpetrator's viewpoints and analyzes the roots of evil behavior, including egotism, revenge, idealism, and sadism. The book discusses how ordinary people can engage in violent and cruel acts, the mechanisms that lead individuals to commit evil deeds, and the ways in which society can restrain or facilitate such behavior. Baumeister also examines the role of factors like material gain, threatened egotism, idealism, and sadistic pleasure in the perpetration of evil.

In 'Invisible Man,' Ralph Ellison tells the story of a nameless black protagonist who navigates the surreal and often hostile world of 20th-century America. The novel begins with the narrator living in an underground room, reflecting on his life and the various ways he has experienced social invisibility. He recounts his journey from a small Southern town to Harlem, involving experiences with racism, a brutal 'battle royal,' and his involvement with the Brotherhood, a civil rights group. The narrative delves into themes of identity, power, and the struggle for self-definition in a society that refuses to see him. Through his experiences, the narrator grapples with the complexities of being a black man in America, ultimately leading to a profound exploration of invisibility and the search for one's true self[1][4][5].