Första texten i Susan Sontags dagböcker, del ett publicerades förra året, är daterad 23/11 1947. Där listar hon vad hon tror:

That there is no personal god or life after death

That the most desirable thing in the world is freedom to be true to oneself, i.e., Honesty

That the only difference between human beings is intelligence

That the only criterion of an action is its ultimate effect on making the individual happy or unhappy

That it is wrong to deprive any man of life

I believe, furthermore, that an ideal state should be a strong centralized one with government control of public utilities, banks, mines + transportation and subsidy of the arts, a comfortable minimum wage, support of disabled and aged. State care of pregnant women with no distinction such as legitimate + illegitimate children.

63 år senare känns detta fortfarande modernt. Föreställningen om historien som ständiga framsteg är en civilisationslögn.