Perturbed...

I am not able to concentrate on the work at hand from the time I have read - 'The Kite runner'.

Well, I have not finished reading it. I could not read past 70 something page. And, it is a 300+ page book. I am worried what lies ahead.

It is not that I have never read a book describing the bad deeds/tortures of a part of human race over other. Though, such thoughts have always made me sad, this one was different , had a worse effect.

The story is set in the 'pre-war' Afghanistan, that is before the U.S.S.R invasion. Even then, the split in the society on the basis of sects was very pronounced.

What disturbed me was the fact that a 10-11 year old kid with his two friends was able to mercilessly beat and torture another kid belonging to the other sect. What made the child filled with hatred to this extent towards a fellow human? The society? Yes, I think so. The schools confirmed (according to the book) the upper-hand of one sect over other and the older members of the society easily ignored serious offences committed by the kids of the so called better sect as playful tricks.

I am forced to think that where was this society anyway headed to?

No, this does not justify the erstwhile USSR invasion or the more recent US attacks. But, I am just trying to picture this- With the deep rooted hatred and violence and the very narrow mindset, minus the invasions... was it possible for Afghanistan to have started moving on the path of progress?