A Response to Bertrand Russell’s Prologue

In this piece of writing, Russell mentions three things that relate to what he himself and humans live for on the earth; love, knowledge and our nature to have pity for others.

I found that his words related to the human condition in an interesting way. All of the elements show that humans have an instinct to reach out to others. He states that it is in our nature to love others and to help them relieve loneliness, in the “cold, dark abyss.” We desire to have knowledge of the world and to learn more. We may not all show it on the outside, but somewhere in us we have pity for mankind. We ourselves sympathize and empathize with others because we have the understanding of suffering to a certain extent.

I agree and can relate to how he portrays the human condition in his prologue. Love, knowledge and our nature to have pity for others are traits that drive us in this world. When we lack them, we fall into a deep dark pit where there can be little light, but they are still there. I believe that they are still there because without them our lives would be “a mockery of what human life should be”, in the words of Russell.

 

Chelsea Davis

English 10 Honours, Block D