Ishmael

This still stands: Some dude has a conversation with a gorilla. That's it. That's the book.Except is it really a conversation if the gorilla lectures the dude, and the dude just says things like “Yes, I see”? No. It's boring. There are some interesting ideas in the lecturing, but also there are lots of holes that are never explored because the dude just agrees with the gorilla at every turn.

And I'm left wondering at the end — if the gorilla's teachings are really supposed to save the world, as he claims, by convincing people to go back to the way humanity behaved for millions of years prior — how?? Have the dude lecture people one at a time the same way Ishmael did for him? Yeah, the human race will have died out before this could ever hope to be a success. Ishmael claims to have already had four “failed” students, but it's not clear WHY he “failed” at teaching them when he is “successful” at teaching narrator dude. Because they didn't think it would be possible to convince anyone of Ishmael's message? Because they knew this method had no hope of being realistic? Because they dared to disagree with him on some point or another?

Also, I read this idea once upon a time, but when people talk of “saving the world,” they really mean saving our own skins, making sure the world won't catch fire on our watch. Except the world has been around long before we were, and will be here long after we are, so now that phrasing irks me. And I really am an optimist! I believe in recycling and avoiding war when possible and not polluting the oceans and producing less — but I am NOT a person that's like, meh if we just don't feed starving people then the world's population will control itself.

We needed a female character. One other than the “nurturing” “Mother Culture” (barfing emoji). Someone that would be willing to argue some of the finer points.

I have more thoughts regarding sacrilege, but I haven't figured out how to articulate them, so maybe I'll come back later. Or maybe I'll decide to put this out of my head entirely the moment after book club ends.