Prologue

A bad book is as much of a labour to write as a good one; it comes as sincerely from the author’s soul.

ALDOUS HUXLEY

For a long time I’ve looked for different ways in which to convey my outlook on the world, especially in respect to topics related to power, discrimination and religion, and our different stances toward such topics.

As an onlooker I always used my life experience and knowledge, in all fields in which I found myself involved, to analyze behaviour in the face of the different circumstances human actors were called upon to encounter.

It was from this initial viewpoint, of what I call reality, that I put it upon myself to sketch, phrase and paraphrase, my own thoughts and feelings. These thoughts had strong resonance in some of my most beloved persons, and it was they who urged me to convey them to paper.

I must admit that though I never consciously found the opportunity to do this, the images that started to shape this work began, on a particular day, to flow like on a movie screen before me. Also certain changes came about in my everyday life which allowed me the time to get down to writing it.

Although this book does not aspire to great literary value, or the scientific rigor with which an anthropological, psychological or sociological study could fathom the way in which Men carry out their lives and govern their actions, it is aimed to reflect not so much on our doings, as on our frequent lack of commitment to life and liberty.

I, being a part of human kind, live and have lived submerged in a reality moulded by strife of all sorts. Human nature has given us sufficient ingenuity to be able to shun our responsibilities by not assuming them, and by avoiding the realization that the cause of our own suffering has often been brought about by our own silence. This is why it has been very difficult to find the real culprits of the greatest crimes committed against our race; and this was because they were really lying within our own hearts.

We probably ought to have listened to Friedrich Nietzsche more carefully, and not only criticized, rightfully or otherwise, when he said: “It is not force, but perseverance of the highest ideals, which makes men nobler”.

This allegory is summoned not only to represent my ideas, but rather, aimed at provoking reflection, awaking individual and collective awareness, so that the day will arrive when we shall be able to say, once and for all: “Enough!”, and draw an imaginary line to symbolize that we won’t take any further abuse any longer.

The German philosopher Immanuel Kant used to enounce that: “We are all alike before moral duty”; it is this duty which compels us to speak out against any thing that in any way smears our fellow men, for even though we refuse to accept it, our behaviour towards them will always reflect on our own soul.

The character in “The Site” says “You can allow yourself many things in life, but never indifference towards the pain and tragedy of others!”

I sincerely hope you will enjoy reading this book, dedicated to those I love and don’t want, as much as I have enjoyed in its writing.

Claudio F. Herrera