The Zahir - Do we really think about it?

My initial reaction was a defense 'what? this man have it backwards!... maybe it got mixed up in translation'


I re-read it, knowing it was intentional. Then oddly enough, the following quote really did strike me & I had to admit to its relevance according to my own experience thus far:

Our true friends are those who are with us when the good things happen. They cheer us on and are pleased by our triumphs. False friends only appear at difficult times, with their sad, supportive faces, when, in fact, our suffering is serving to console them for their miserable lives

Paulo Coelho

The Zahir.

I am not a cynic in the least. I just observe 
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Finally, another quote...

The all-powerful Zahir seemed to be born with every human being and to gain full strength in childhood, imposing rules that would thereafter always be respected:

People who are different are dangerous; they belong to another tribe; they want our lands and our women.

We must marry, we are authorised to take possession of another person, body and soul.

 We must do jobs we detest because we are part of an organised society, and if everyone did what they wanted to do, the world would come to a standstill.

 We must buy jewellery; it identifies us with our tribe, just as body-piercing identifies those of a different tribe.

 We must be amusing at all times and sneer at those who express their real feelings; it`s dangerous for a tribe to allow its members to show their feelings.

We must at all costs avoid saying “No” because people prefer those who always say “Yes”, and this allows us to survive in hostile teritory.

What other people think is more important than what we feel.

 Never make a fuss, it might attract the attention of an enemy tribe.

 If you behave differently, you will be expelled from the tribe because you could infect others and destroy something that was extremely difficult to organise in the first place.

 We must always consider the look of our new cave, and if we don`t have a clear idea of our own, then we must call in a decorator who will do his best to show others what good taste we have.

We must eat three meals a day, even if we`re not hungry, and when we fail to fit the current ideal of beauty we must fast, even if we`re starving.

We must dress according to the dictates of fashion, make love whether we feel like it or not, kill in the name of out country`s frontiers, wish time away so that retirement comes more quickly, elect politicians, complain about the cost of living, change our hairstyle, criticise anyone who is different, go to a religious service on Sunday, Saturday or Friday, depending on our religion, and there beg forgiveness for our sins and puff ourselves up with pride because we know the truth and despise the other tribe, who worship a false god.

 Our children must follow in our footsteps; after all, we are older and know about the world.

 We must have a university degree even if we never get a job in the area of knowledge  we were forced to study.

We must study things that we will never use, but which someone told us was important to know: algebra, trigonometry, the code of Hammurabi.

We must never make our parents sad, even if this means giving up everything that makes us happy.

 We must play music quietly, talk quietly, weep in private, because I am the all-powerful Zahir, who lays down the rules and determines the distance between railway tracks, the meaning of success, the best way to love, the importance of rewards.

Like I said, it's a realists view... not cynical, just sad, but true

The pdf copy of this book is available here: *click me*