‘Ishmael’ in the mist

"...A man and a gorilla embark on an intellectual adventure that redefines what it means to be human."

This one-sentence synopsis on the back cover of Daniel Quinn’s Ishmael says it all. The world today is a hopeless place to live in. And I guess everybody will agree with me on that one.

In this age when we consider ourselves educated and civilized, our actions say something different. We have continuously inflicted pain on those around us. We have incongruously turned the world into a soup of deception, greed, hatred and indifference at all levels and forms. We have not only taken away the lives of our fellow human beings, but are continuously destroying the earth, the only place we call home. Apparently, we alone have created every single malaise the world is suffering from now. We have attained immense wisdom and mastery, yet we do not have the knowledge or skill to stop devastating the world.

It doesn’t make any sense. Why can’t we just live in harmony with each other? Why do we hate and take revenge on those we do not even know? Why do we only look after our own interests when there are those who are not as privileged as we are? And why do we worry so much if we do not have new clothes when most people do not even have a blanket to cover their shivering bodies with at night?

I was extremely disillusioned when I came to realize that nobody really wants to change the terrible state of the world. It seems that nobody gives a damn if the innocent are killed, if Jerusalem turns into a battleground and if the tarsier becomes extinct. Most of us simply want to get through college, get a nice job, make money and die at 65. We probably run through life as if it were a long and endless road. We don’t stop to look at the blue sky or help a fellow runner on our way to the finish line.

But this road we call life seemed more bearable and hopeful after I read Ishmael by Daniel Quinn. What struck me most when I bought this book was the idea that such an animal could teach me to be human. It seemed absurd. Me, a homosapien – I don’t need another species to educate me about life.

Nonetheless, Ishmael taught me how to survive amid this hateful world. He opened my eyes to the reality that the entire human race and the world itself are on the brink of extinction. That the Earth cannot and should not be conquered and ruled by man. That man is not alone on this planet. Rather, he is part of a much more complex community, upon which his life and his future depend. But more importantly, he taught me that the world does not belong to man; rather, we belong to the world.

Our culture instilled in us that man is exceptionally superior. We go through life as if we know everything we do is right. But Ishmael did not believe this myth. We are special, yes, but that does not justify our doing whatever we please. We are special, but so is everyone and everything else that breathes. Therefore, we have to change our perspectives and attitudes if we want to save ourselves from total catastrophe.

Most of us complain that our lives are meaningless and empty. Oppression and injustice are always our dilemma. We are constantly plagued by anguish, anxiety, depression and self-hatred. No wonder there are people who take their own lives just to escape from this miserable world. And yet, we call ourselves civilized. Ironic, isn’t it?

Ishmael is more than just a story. As I leafed through its pages, I saw myself become part of an enthralling journey that extended backward and forward over the life span of the earth. I was able to understand how and why things came to be this way.

But Ishmael is neither a philosopher nor a guru. He is merely looking for students who have "an earnest desire to save the world," as his ad says. He believes that survival starts with oneself and eventually changing people’s minds.

"Each of us contributes to the destruction of the world," Ishmael continued. Thus, I say, the answer to our dilemma lies within each of us. Saving the world is not a daunting task, but it cannot be done with an incantation or a magic word. It’s actually up to us whether we go on living or become extinct. And I believe nobody in his sane mind would choose the latter.

It is through the words of Ishmael that I have understood man’s history, culture and his role on Earth. He taught me that to see one’s purpose in life, I should reach out to what is true and right. In a world that lacks wisdom about what truly matters in life, Ishmael provides insight and hope to a troubled generation.

I strongly hope everyone would read this book and be enlightened by a gorilla’s inspiring explanation of who we are and what we can do to save the world. I have learned life’s greatest lesson from Ishmael and I just hope everyone does so, too.