Alternative Culture: Straw Dogs review

[The following post is dedicated to my friend Juliet]

The end of me

John Gray makes a bold claim-- humans are nothing special. He argues that liberal humanism (the philosophy that humans are special) and postmodernism (the idea that truth and purpose is what we humans make of it) are offshoots of the misguided religion called Christianity.

The argument of the book

My friend Juliet has summarised this book in a phrase: "doom in 200 pages". However, I would argue that she does not treat this book fairly. One of my favourite contemporary philosophers, Gray shows off his cutting intellect that would make Nietzsche proud. In this post I would like to explore several of his ideas.

1. Heirs of Christianity

"Humanism is a secular religion drawn from the decaying scraps of Christianity." --pg 31.

According to Gray, the pre-Christian world thought that history was cyclic and not progressive. As Christianity introduced the concept of universal human salvation (and hence progression), Gray argued that humanism borrowed from Christianity in that its adherents (the humanist) support the idea of human emancipation (that humans are special).

The postmodernists go one step further, as they assert that humans themselves can decide their purpose in life.

However, Gray criticises their worldview as the "worst kind of arrogance" (pg 55). Postmodernism states that the limit to humanity is human thought. This unhinges their adherents from the reality but asserting that "man is the measure of all things".

2. The failure of science

"Science has been used to support the conceit that humans are unlike all other animals in their ability to understand the world" -- pg 24

Despite promising the return of Jesus, Christianity has failed to sustain its position as the hope of humanity. The Enlightenment thinkers argued that reason, science and technology will be the saviour of the world.

However if anything, science has made humans better at doing evil things. Gray argues that the Holocaust and Gulags were only made possible with the advancement of technology. There is no evidence that humans are getting morally better.

"As the hope of a better world has grown, so has mass murder." -- pg 98

In fact, Gray makes a chilling prediction towards the end of his book -- "Future wars will be fought over dwindling resources." (pg 180)

3. The myth of progress

"The world will forget mankind. The play of life will go on." --pg 151

Every organism on earth is doomed to extinction-- why should humanity be any different? Since the idea of progression is a myth that comes from the false hope of Christianity, Gray argues that humanity cannot truly move forward.

The purpose of life, Gray concludes, is to simply exist. There is nothing to save humanity, and nothing that humanity needs saving from. According to Gray, this view should be liberating.

Conclusion

You might find it surprising that I largely agree with Professor John Gray. If Christianity is wrong, then there is no such thing as progress.

Unlike Gray, I find this view extremely depressing. Nothing matters in the long run.

But note the conditioner "if". Either Christianity is true and we are all progressing towards a better end. If not, we are all headed towards a dark and gloomy cycle with no way out. You see my friend, theology matters.

The challenge laid down now is whether Christianity is true. How would you the reader attempt to explore this?

For further reading

Gray, J.N. (2002) Straw Dogs

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