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Title: Memoirs is a lesson in incrementalism
Review: What struck me most in the marvelous Lessing short book, Memoirs of a Survivor, is how matter-of-factly we accept horrific changes as long as they happen bit by bit. The absence of emotionality in the story, noted by others, is, I believe, intentional. As conditions worsen, the main character (and her ward) find ways to adapt, but never consider what actions they might take to reverse the societal decline.This is a story about our inherent passivity, our overweaning trust that someone else will surely take care of things when they go bad. It is also a testament to our ability to adapt to changing circumstances, but in general I feel it is a condemnation of our blindness to perceive and then resist those changes that dismantle and ultimately destroy vibrant societies.
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