Both Freud and Kosinski witnessed extreme human barbarity throughout their lives, and therefore, formulated their political theories off of their life experiences. Instinctually, they both postulate that human’s natural behavior is cruel and corrupted. Freud feels that religion is the ultimate illusion used to explain human nature and help cope with its consequences, while Kosinski feels that not even religion can mask the reality and horror one can experience in this life. Both Mill and Marx offer solutions to the barbarity present in human nature. Mill offers a more optimistic approach, where, if the tyranny of the majority is kept in check, society can remain just and in order. He strongly advocates that speech has the power to influence
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Kosinski finds human nature so corrupt, not even illusions can help humans cope. The story focuses on a six-year old, Jewish boy who constantly has his life ripped out from under him during World War II. The religious illusion that Freud claims to answer all the unexplainably questions was the main reason this young boys life was a series of unfortunate events. After being sent to live on his own by his parents, watching his caretaker die as well as other friendly faces, countless accounts of violence and murder, incest in his family, and multiple rapes, he becomes very suspicious of natural human behavior. At such a young age, this multitude of extreme exposure to danger makes a child very susceptible to doubting the “good” in society. “He was alone in the world and could expect no assistance from anyone…” (Kosinski 238). The holocaust did not effect only children though. This novel conveys the intensity of harm people experience and the inability to the state to respond to the terror its people feel. Kosinski was also extremely suspicious of groups. Growing up with the horror of the Nazis facing you everyday most likely caused Kosinski’s fear of group mentality. The Nazis emulate group think behavior. A whole society will follow each other, regardless of the harm they can cause, even if they know what they are doing is wrong. With the prevalence of the Nazis during the war, the young …show more content…
The barbaric behavior humans are naturally accustomed to, is exhibited in competition. Marx’s solution helps to eliminate competition in society. While Mill offers a valid theory, it is not realistic. He has too much optimism about society. Speech does not hold enough value to change a society’s actions. Kosinski’s experience illustrated in The Painted Bird shows the true horrors society can bring about with tyranny of the majority. He too would be in favor of Marx’s solution as it makes all citizens equal. The boy’s life would not have been torn a part if communism was the government, and not the dictatorship under Hitler because one would not be scrutinized for their religion, for they would all be the same. While communism can be extreme, and the freedoms one may lose in order for this type of government to work need to be taken into consideration, when followed as Marx intended it, communism eliminates all competition in society, and hence eliminates
Kosinski finds human nature so corrupt, not even illusions can help humans cope. The story focuses on a six-year old, Jewish boy who constantly has his life ripped out from under him during World War II. The religious illusion that Freud claims to answer all the unexplainably questions was the main reason this young boys life was a series of unfortunate events. After being sent to live on his own by his parents, watching his caretaker die as well as other friendly faces, countless accounts of violence and murder, incest in his family, and multiple rapes, he becomes very suspicious of natural human behavior. At such a young age, this multitude of extreme exposure to danger makes a child very susceptible to doubting the “good” in society. “He was alone in the world and could expect no assistance from anyone…” (Kosinski 238). The holocaust did not effect only children though. This novel conveys the intensity of harm people experience and the inability to the state to respond to the terror its people feel. Kosinski was also extremely suspicious of groups. Growing up with the horror of the Nazis facing you everyday most likely caused Kosinski’s fear of group mentality. The Nazis emulate group think behavior. A whole society will follow each other, regardless of the harm they can cause, even if they know what they are doing is wrong. With the prevalence of the Nazis during the war, the young …show more content…
The barbaric behavior humans are naturally accustomed to, is exhibited in competition. Marx’s solution helps to eliminate competition in society. While Mill offers a valid theory, it is not realistic. He has too much optimism about society. Speech does not hold enough value to change a society’s actions. Kosinski’s experience illustrated in The Painted Bird shows the true horrors society can bring about with tyranny of the majority. He too would be in favor of Marx’s solution as it makes all citizens equal. The boy’s life would not have been torn a part if communism was the government, and not the dictatorship under Hitler because one would not be scrutinized for their religion, for they would all be the same. While communism can be extreme, and the freedoms one may lose in order for this type of government to work need to be taken into consideration, when followed as Marx intended it, communism eliminates all competition in society, and hence eliminates