Neither Victims nor Executioners

by Albert Camus

Book Overview

Endorsements: "The reissue of Camus' seminal essay, 'Neither Victims nor Executioners, ' could hardly be more timely. In Iraq and Afghanistan, the hideous march to oblivion goes on apace. America is ironically reversing the ethic proposed by Camus' title. American adventuring, playing the part of omnipotent executioner, is creating multitudes of victims. No search is undertaken for a 'third way.' Indeed, were the Camus thesis proposed, it would evoke...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1556357710
• ISBN13: 9781556357718
• Release Date: July 2008
• Publisher: Wipf & Stock Publishers
• Length: 74 Pages
• Weight: 0.25 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.2" x 5.5" x 8.5"

Customer Reviews

A vision of pacifism

I first bought this slender book in 1976 at 17, when I first became aware of the outside world and didn't understand how to reconcile my instinctive pacifism with the violence of public discourse. I was too young to understand more than a few words. But today, while packing up some books to donate to the library, I stumbled on it and began to read. Camus captivated me again, and this time I began to understand his message. It is as though a fog has lifted. Camus rejected war, the sanctioned murder of humans. My nascent understanding of his argument is that although it's not realistic to hope to stop all war, it's important for the individual to overcome the fear that makes us root for one side or the other. This rings particularly true right now for this American woman, having grown frustrated with our president's recent "terror speeches." How, indeed, can we each think clearly, apply our values with integrity, and face down what we know is fundamentally wrong, while we cling to fear? How can we respond to our frightened friends and acquaintences when they insist that we must "defend" ourselves at all cost? Change is difficult, and may take the rest of time to accomplish, but we must endeavor to change, if only to experience peace in our own lives. The book was written in 1972, but the ideas are fresh, perhaps eternal. Yes, it's deep, but even at 17 I underlined the key ideas, and even without wading through the dense language you will come across clear restatements of the principles. I recommend it for anyone who is uncomfortable with current events and needs encouragement to live their ideas. I, in fact, am about to order around 10 of these to give to my friends, who've been as confused and exasperated by their inability to articulate their beliefs as I. I hope you'll consider it, too.

Albert Camus' discourse on peace

Camus sets forth his views on how peace should be universal but how it is unlikely to occur in the near future due to rising and conflicting world powers. This is more of a position paper than a book, but is rather deep.