Seth answers “Can someone explain the duel meaning of...”

Julie Choi asked this question about The Sympathizer (The Sympathizer, #1):

Can someone explain the duel meaning of "nothing" to me. I think I get it but am not sure. Of course, I get the first and obvious meaning - what is more important than independence and freedom? Nothing as in nothing is more important. But what is the other meaning?

Seth The sympathizer has nothing to sympathize with since he has realized that all governments are tainted with cruelty and power-hoarding regardless of th…moreThe sympathizer has nothing to sympathize with since he has realized that all governments are tainted with cruelty and power-hoarding regardless of the core values of the revolutions that established them. So, since he has nothing to sympathize with, he sympathizes with Nothing. Not "nothing" in the sense of a void, but in "nothing" as a positive alternative to the evils of the power hungry. Nothing is more important than independence and freedom when those concepts are revealed to be lie in practice. Nothing is better than torture. Nothing is better than pointless war. Nothing is better than hate. (less)

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