I finally watched Schindler's list last week. It was on my list of to-watch for quite sometime. Like many of us in the recent times, my patience for watching a 3-hour long movie has gone for a toss. So I had put it on hold for sometime now.
To those who have no idea on the movie, it is set in the Nazi-occupied Poland during WWII where the Jews are looted off their home and valuables and quarantined as herds and how a German tries to rescue them.
Half an hour into the movie I was overwhelmed with the feeling of ineptitude and rage. This is not entirely new to me. Yes, I have been introduced to gruesome realities of the WWII. But it always creates this vortex of thoughts that cannot be put into words.
There are many other fictional books that I have read set in the WWII world. Everytime I start reading such books or watch movies, I dread the events that are to follow. I can hardly say I understood what the Jews went through. I am trying to put myself in that period, in their shoes. They do not have a house, don't know if they will live another day or will see their family again. It has been 80 years since the war has happened but the effect that it creates on the generations that are present now and yet to come is never-ending. It gives a mental trauma just by hearing or reading some of the narrations.
In 2014, I read the 'The Boy in Striped Pyjamas' and the climax is deeply etched into my mind. The entire book is from a little boy's perspective who befriends a Jew boy in the concentration camp separated by a wire fence from his new house. I literally shuddered at the climax.
I have witnessed two major wars between 2 countries - the U.S. war on Afghanistan post 09/11 and the most recent Ukraine war. Lives lost, properties damaged and destroyed. I do not understand why wars should happen. I cannot fathom a sane reason to destroy the livelihoods of fellow humans.
Ultimately I can only think of two reasons that cannot be justified at any point. Either it is greed or fear. Greed for resources and power or Fear of losing War has been a form of survival of the fittest from the period of cavemen. To find the alpha of the group and then find places for establishing their civilization. Gradually when the human beings became civilized creatures, one would expect the war would go extinct. But the warfare has become more sophisticated and technologically advanced and without doubt, more dangerous than ever before.
There is no answer as to why war is necessary or even if it is necessary. Everyone might put forth the point that we must be ready for war to keep the peace. Yes, I agree. But will there be an end to 'he started, I reverted' argument. Time only can answer.
