The Complexity of Being Human by Eric Louw - REVIEW
Dr Eric Louw’s The Complexity of Being Human is precisely that, complex. Dr Louw has taken a highly subjective topic of human life and behaviour and dissected the whole into parts to make sense of this intricate and diverse subject. Dr Louw doesn’t shy away from picking apart sensitive areas others might avoid. Readers can expect to be enlightened, disheartened, intrigued, satisfied, and enraged. Emotions and the lack of emotion play a massive part in what makes this book so fascinating. You might disagree with the learned doctor, but that is the point.
By starting the book with the comment, “This book is not written to initiate debate or arguments with me”, you immediately know that’s Dr Louw’s plan. Of course, he wants to debate, agree, or disagree. As Viet Thanh Nguyen, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author, once said, “While it's better to be loved than hated, it is also far better to be hated than ignored.” Dr Louw’s The Complexity of Being Human will not allow you to ignore his views or the overview of where human life is heading.
Dr Eric Louw is a family physician in private medical practice in Standerton Mpumalanga South Africa.
This background information helps the reader understand how Dr Louw can concisely explain intricate but vital subjects that range from where we come from to where we are almost certainly going, covering evolution (complete with diagrams), some earth and human history, factors that determine the outcome of man right through to discussions on the soul, faith, types of faith, slavery.
Dr Louw is careful not to write The Complexity of Being Human in a textbook style; he intertwines facts with educated opinions. There is much emphasis on Africa post-Apartheid, which is to be expected with his background. Louw is passionate about his country and those who live in it and more so about those who run it. You might think that being so Africa focused makes this book a little niche, but this is not the case; the book gives the reader some answers to the question posed regularly on TikTok - ‘What is life all about life and that?”
From his own experience and interactions with all the different races in his practice paved the road to the statements about humanity. This is where you might lean towards disheartenment with the statements about humanity, and you will almost certainly be intrigued and enraged. Whether you will be satisfied with the hypothesis is something only you will know but the journey through detailed accounts of what makes us tick is fascinating. Dr Louw touches on mortality, climate change, child abuse and abuse of women. Crime linked to socioeconomic status and poverty brings us right back to his views and reinforcement of affirmative action.
The Complexity of Being Human could be a totem for life and is not for the faint-hearted. Right in the middle of the book is a graphic depiction of the devaluation of the healthcare system in South Africa. The doc does not shy away from providing the most graphic details, complete with photos; if you’re squeamish in any way, this chapter is not for you. However, anyone considering medicine as a profession could probably skip a few semesters at uni (reader, this is not a recommendation) by reading this chapter alone.
If you’re interested in the effects of psychological abnormalities, part two is for you. Here, you will read a fascinating review of the human brain and how abnormalities affect society. Dr Louw understands mental health and covers the topic with a light touch, but then, almost on the turn of a coin, with such a heavy-handedness that the reader is left with raised eyebrows and a hunger for more, this is not an easy feat, but Louw has that in the bag.
There’s little doubt Dr Eric Louw knows his stuff, and his comments on childcare and education are common sense and a reinforced pat on the back to those who have been there; for anyone looking for some answers, this book might be what you’re looking for. It isn’t a ‘how to’ or an education manual. Skip around the Doc’s dislike of taxi drivers (in South Africa), which is more of a comment on corruption than anything else, and you get to his bottom line, which is the synopsis of modern life and some suggestions about the way forward.
Why read this book? You might ask, and the answer is simple. It cuts through the noise of modern life but does soft coat or play down the answers; if you’re looking for an easy holiday read, this book isn’t for you unless your idea of a holiday is a hike through the rain forest with a 50KG backpack, marmite sandwiches and no cell phone signal. In this case, you might identify yourself in one of the psychological examples Dr Louw talks about at length.
The pages of this book have golden nuggets, but there are no spoilers here; they are for you to find. The last page of Dr Louw’s book quotes himself: “ Life is a privilege, health is your fuel, and happiness is your reward.” Personally, I think “It's easy to stand in the crowd, but it takes courage to stand alone” is more apt and describes the author even if you don’t agree with most of what he says. He concluded with the quotation by Mahatma Ghandi “You must be the change you wish to see in this world”.
