LLF delves into writing, politics, history

LAHORE:

On the second day of the 14th Lahore Literary Festival on. Saturday, a session held in collaboration with the Wimbledon Book Festival offered a thought-provoking exploration of the unseen personal and moral dimensions of politics and authority.

The session titled 'The Private Life of Power: How Politics Affects Friendships, Memory, and Moral Choice' featured acclaimed writer Kamila Shamsie in conversation with British High Commissioner Jane Marriott. The discussion remained closely connected to contemporary political and social realities.

Shamsie stated that reducing politics to power, policy, or state decisions ignores the broader and more lasting effects of authority. She emphasised that power profoundly influences human relationships, friendships, collective memory, and moral choices. According to her, individuals who move closer to power gradually reinterpret their past, decisions, and values to align with political demands.

The session also examined how authority compels individuals to create new moral justifications for their actions. Decisions

once considered unacceptable are often declared necessary or inevitable once one enters the sphere of power. As a result, truth and memory become distorted, while friendships and human relationships suffer fractures.