Commentary on V.Hugo

“Fate, it seemed, could be as malignant as the human intelligence, as remorseless as the human heart!” -Les Miserable

To describe human intelligence as malignant seems appropriate as the human being can barely accept a concept unless there is an aspect of suffering involved. The entirely beautiful and pure must be tainted before a man can commit himself and contribute to progress. I speak not as a skeptic, I speak as a human. The rise of a nation occurs not when all citizens contribute to its growth, for then it is merely a colony or state. A nation is born when others fear and respect the presence of the united. It is the belief of the Christians that all humans are born with original sin, so not even the innocence of children was exempt from blemish. The idea of financial progress is so skewed that one can only attain wealth through exploitation, for it is more economic to think than do. A million would be enslaved for the tomb of one. That is the extent of human intelligence.

The human heart is even crueler than the mind, for the mind can only create whereas the heart drives inspiration out of the cavern and into the reality of action. At best we can label this act as desire; at worst we must accept it to be a craving. The mind might create a utopia and then the heart would destroy all those who opposed. Love is hardly different from hate; both are passions that blind and incite violence. What the heart demands the soul must present upon its knees in rags. A man once liberated human from sin and offered them a place within God’s kingdom, in return the hearts of those in charge of his life thought it best to release a murderer in exchange for a bribe of coin. Morality is cast aside by the heart, when ambition takes control, replacing consuming desire in its place.

Looking back to the original quote, V. Hugo was right when he said Fate was malignant and remorseless for it sees no difference between beauty and suffering, only seeing progress; it does not divide the wicked from the righteous, instead allotting time for us all to exist.