La Divina Commedia
Desire, gluttony, greed, anger—these are common human ailments. In “The Divine Comedy,” human indulgence is attributed to various sins, but today, many no longer view these as serious moral failings, instead transforming them into “health” issues. They no longer seek faith, theology, or moral philosophy, but rather medication, doctors, and therapists. However, the problem of sin is more serious than that of disease.
As Dante posed the problem of “sin,” this issue troubles modern people. Among all human cultural creations, “sin” might be the most difficult concept for people to accept. People would rather believe in their own goodness and innocence than acknowledge their sins. Acknowledging human sin means recognizing one’s limitations, immaturity, human deviations, and weaknesses.
Admitting these requires courage.
Desire is closely linked to pleasure and pain. Through evolution, we find pleasure in things that tend to promote the survival and reproduction of the species, and pain in those that do not. Status, sex, and food are pleasurable and thus desirable. However, satisfaction is not conducive to survival and reproduction: once a desire is satisfied, we no longer find pleasure in its object and instead turn to form new desires.
The problem is that our desires evolved “merely” to promote survival
and reproduction.
They did not evolve to make us happy or fulfilled, to elevate us, or to give life meaning beyond them. Yet today, survival is no longer the same concern, and under the pressure of 8 billion people on Earth, reproduction seems almost irresponsible. However, we are still here, with impulses and desires adapted to another era.
Dimensions of English Books: 15.6 x 11.6 x 21.7cm
Weight: 2700 grams
Cover paper: 280gsm Velvet
Inside paper: 145gsm Papersense-washable paper
Techniques: Intaglio Printing, Back-to-back binding, Hardcover
Dimensions of Chinese Books: 41.7 x 4.9 x 21.3cm
Weight: 3000 grams
Cover paper: 95gsm Countryside Paper
Inside paper: 80gsm Rice Paper
Techniques: Ancient Book Binding with Thread, Dragon
Scale Armor.