The stranger by Albert Camus

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I don’t understand as to why is this book is considered dangerous, like will it be a bad influence to people or does it cover some topics that it might seem as taboo or concepts that may seem controversial.

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Anonymous 0 Comments

Religious people hate it because it basically says nothing matters. Life is meaningless and irrational, so humans struggle to create some kind of meaning and order. Obviously this is antithetical to most established religions that claim their deity creates meaning.

The band The Cure actually had one of the best summations of the pivotal scene in the lyrics for the song Killing an Arab (partial lyrics):

>Staring down the barrel
At the Arab on the ground
See his open mouth
But hear no sound
>
>I’m alive
I’m dead
I’m the stranger
Killing an arab
>
>I can turn and walk away
Or I can fire the gun
Staring at the sky
Staring at the sun
Whichever I choose
It amounts to the same
>
>Absolutely nothing
>
>I’m alive
I’m dead
I’m the stranger
Killing an arab
>
>Feel the steel butt jump
Smooth in my hand
Staring at the sea
Staring at the sand
Staring at myself
Reflected in the eyes of
The dead man on the beach

Whatever he does in this case means nothing. He doesn’t even consciously shoot, just feels the gun go off, he’s completely detached. If you read the book, dude really was a heartless unfeeling bastard even long before this point, and until the end.