tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5455277388900637928.post8177461539111124620..comments2024-03-19T02:14:31.704-04:00Comments on <center>OnFiction</center>: Tolstoy's ListKeith Oatleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16419339550879570935noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5455277388900637928.post-59071195013314461452015-03-04T22:14:53.762-05:002015-03-04T22:14:53.762-05:00"A vulnerable human hoping to become a better..."A vulnerable human hoping to become a better person had turned into a prophet prescribing rules to humanity."<br />This would accurately describe the trajectory of every prophet that ever lived, including Jesus and Buddha. In fact, if these last lived in our time, they would probably receive a fair amount of criticism, just as much as Gandhi or any modern man. It is only that they are so far past that we do not know of their flaws or insecurities. <br /><br />"We should be grateful to Troyat for highlighting how easily means of self-improvement can become a club with which to beat the world."<br />Writing about one's beliefs in an attempt to reform the world's moral constitution is not quite akin to clubbing the world. I don't necessarily agree with all of his writings, and it's clear his moral views developed out of a hasty spiritual awakening, but they could hardly be perceived as being so aggressive and malicious as to warrant the image you chose to portray it.Greg Eliothttp://gregeliot.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.com