***WARNING: SPOILERS***
I essentially wrote A Man of Silence as a way to describe what daily gratitude looks like in slow living, while also coming (somewhat) to terms with my own divorce.
The idea of a cathedral (which then became a monastery) came to me when I began college. I think I noticed for the first time just how sheltered I had been and this new, fast, hard lifestyle made me vulnerable. I learned that I ached for my time alone and in silence.
Could I live happily without religion? Could I be a moral person without religion? Those were my main concerns throughout college as I was still unclear about how vital secular morality was to my life, even though I had already found Objectivism. I had yet to truly delve deep into the philosophy.
Brother John escapes from his former “normal” life in search of the one he desires—the monastic one. However, he is an atheist. So, the main conflict for me was to show how religious people blindly follow their passions or what religious leaders tell them or the Bible, while the rational, secular Man follows his own mind and his own interests. The picture leads to one that paints the religious as more often “sinful” than the nonreligious.
Though, Brother John is not without his own demons either, since he is searching through his routine and rituals for some ultimate standard of “Truth” and “Beauty,” as a poet might, all while denying his passions entirely. It makes for a man who is oftentimes struggling with himself. Still, I find his behavior less reprehensible than the religious men in the story who have sex with prostitutes, or flagellate themselves just for suffering’s sake, or call upon students to hurt other people for political gain.
Secular morality has to be learned; it is not innate. And I believe that as long as a person is trying to learn something honestly, even when mistakes are made, they are still morally perfect. But those who are living dishonestly and are never truly bettering themselves, such as the other monks presented in this story, well, they are imperfect human beings who will never find peace.
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Views Expressed Disclaimer: The postings on this site are my own and do not necessarily represent the postings, strategies, or opinions of American Wordsmith, LLC. Please also know that while I consider myself an Objectivist and my work is inspired by Objectivism, it is not nor should it be considered Objectivist since I am not the creator of the philosophy. For more information about Ayn Rand’s philosophy visit: aynrand.org.