Narcissism In Night By Elie Wiesel

The exclusively human quality of narcissism programs us to believe that we are superior above all creatures, however, it is completely unwarranted as our transcendence exists only in our brain. We are no different than the savage beasts that lurk in the wild. Driven by raw instinct, our role in nature is the same as any other animal’s: fighting for the survival of our species. Even if it means murder. Even if it means renouncing our humanity. To ensure survival, we must only be driven by our primal instincts. Despite it all, there exist domains where the laws of nature blur and even cease to exist— one being our society. Mankind has created a societal structure wherein the natural world is no longer sovereign. Here, the laws of evolution

Due to this fatal flaw, when facing injustice it is crucial to abandon our instincts for the benefit of the greater good. The Holocaust was based on dehumanizing processes that had the potential for much greater impact than even intended by the Nazis. The exploitation of human psychology was so extreme that the brutalizing truth had the possibility to destroy many people’s faith in the world. At one point in Night, Elie Wiesel describes himself in the following way, “ I was nothing but a body. Perhaps even less: a famished stomach.” (Night, 52). By using the diminishing vehicle of the stomach for his description, Wiesel degrades himself to be in a state where he no longer considers himself human; his hunger defines his existence. Wiesel becomes an empty shell, yet in his eyes the transgressor remains the same. According to Mazlow’s hierarchy, this

It didn’t matter that he changed so drastically that his words were unmistakably true. To the townspeople, all that mattered was the fear that consumed them, the fear of reality that led them to slander Moishe’s name and dignity, despite his intentions being only of help. To make matters worse, their refusal to face danger caused the Sighetians to miss their only chance for escape. Had they been brave enough to come to terms with the palpability of Moishe’s words, many could have escaped unscathed both mentally and physically but above all, human nature prevailed. In most cases it happens accordingly, and the most endangered group of people choosing to look the other way proves it. Moreover, it supports a notion that people not in direct peril have increased inclinations for tuning transgressions