Yareah Magazine

by Ana Morales Lopez

From the very beginning, Savater explains to us that his book was not written to be used as a class book. He points out that it has been written for his son since he needed to find a way of talking to him but without saying a word. Savater believes that telling something directly to a teenager is not the same as writing it on a sheet of paper simply because if the boy does not want to hear him, he will be wasting his time since the boy will not listen to him.

 However, if he writes it he can be sure that one day his son will be reading it. Maybe not today or now, but he knows that at some moment he will read it.
Taking all this into account we can say that Savater’s idea was to give his son something that will last forever: his values and feelings. The value of learning to trust yourself and the importance of being able to love and be loved.
The most important thing to remember in this very first part of Savater's book is that he is trying to show us that what matters is not something physical or material but all those feelings, toughts, ideas and values which are going to last forever, no matter who is thinking, saying, reading or listening to them now; ideas are beyond what human beings can possibly grasp. And it is in this field where Ethics take place...

And what a nice way of ending a book of ethics has Savater chosen: "After all, it is probable that it may not be a real book of ethics..."!
And I have to say that I do love it simply because by doing this he wanted to show us that there is no "User's Guide" in terms of Ethics and this means that it is only inside of us that we will find our own Ethics...
We may perfectly listen to many different people, opinions, advices, experiences but, all the same, the only way is "to think it over", to reflect... to analyse and, what I think is the most important thing, to be coherent and honest with ourselves. It is our duty from now on to keep on thinking and although it is only through (and with) others that we will be able to achieve a Human Life, we don't have to forget that we are the ones that can take our own choices. No one will come and tell us which path to follow or what to believe in...
Difficult? Yes! Impossible? NO WAY!
Everything will sooner or later be possible if it is something that pursues HAPPINESS, JOY and LOVE...

And finally, as Savater wrote: "Good Bye, my friendly reader, and try to avoid wasting your life hating (no matter whom) or being afraid"