page 210 — November 1942

been very wise, good, industrious and immoral. He told good stories marvellously well—he must have been quite a lad besides working hard before he got the nervous disease. … ztc zsw zil zgk zop

[See note (a)]

News—assault again on Stalingrad where the Volga freezes. Halfaya pass captured … Bardia and Tobruk reached. … zru zlb zwf

Sunday 15^th

… we [AWW] discussed the shortcomings of school life. I can’t believe that a system which by its nature makes 50% of the boys in the school sleep in each other’s beds for the physical pleasure obtained therein, there being no other outlet for sexual feelings, is a good one. The blokes who do it aren’t particularly wrecked psychologically, but it don’t seem natural. God knows at times I feel in need of an outlet for my sexual feelings, if I didn’t practice self control I’d probably do what they do—but on the whole I don’t expect I’d be happier. Still, it’s wrong—the system I mean. zse zfr zsy zsa zsd

Monday 16^th

Another week. Feeling rather annoyed all day—though considering what some people are going through I suppose I’ve no right to complain—though that’s no argument for the system I’m annoyed with. ‘The End of Economic Man’ is a good book—he maintains that capitalism and Marxism both fail because they are built on the basis of man as an economic animal, and both have failed to secure equality. I wonder about that—I think Marxism pure and simple is useless, but if even Russia—which is admittedly very imperfect—has advanced so enormously in culture and the standard of living, surely this shows that they do not believe that the only important aspect of man is the economic one. Anyhow I can’t write it down, it’s too involved and I’ve no time to spare. … zem zsy zbp zpn zdw

[See note (b)]