Great literature transcends time because of its inherent qualities: the author has a clear purpose, the author achieves that purpose, and the purpose is a worthwhile one.
Tuesday
Discussion Topic #5
In 100 words discuss an example of "See the cat, see the cradle" from your world. Do not repeat ideas. (Satire is encouraged.)
I spent the last Monday night at Skidmore College with the intention of visiting classes with the girls that were my hosts. I ended up attending an anthropology class in which the professor showed the class a documentary about Eskimo culture. I was surprised to see that the Eskimos were playing with string and showing their children what appeared to be the cat’s cradle. Although this is a very literal example of it from my life, I thought it was important to share because it illustrates the theme’s pervasiveness throughout the “human condition”. It also credits Vonnegut for being the brilliant genius that I’ve been hearing he is.
In cat’s cradle, people look for, and pretend to see, an illusion, for the simple reason that they are told it is there. They feel as if they should see it, so they lie to others, and perhaps themselves, often in hopes of self-protection. Wishing not to let others see my apparent blindness, one night this past summer, some counselors at the conference at which I worked and I were star gazing. Someone pointed out: “Oh, look, the Big Dipper!” As everyone murmured responses of agreement, I remained clueless. People continued to point out various constellations; to me the stars resembled only jumbled specs. Lest I be ridiculed for my lack of knowledge, I’ve found that nodding and smiling is a far better than having to endure: “How can you not see it? It’s right THERE!”
The concept behind selling anything in the world is at its foundation "see the cat, see the cradle." If you can convince a million people that your product is the best--even if it's junk--they'll buy it. On an episode of "Penn & Teller: Bullshit!," they took over an expensive restaurant for a night and replaced all the really fancy dishes with, for lack of a better term, crap (without the diners' knowledge). The diners ordered their expensive dinners, paid for expensive dinners, and when asked how they enjoyed them, raved about their "expensive dinners." It's possible that they actually enjoyed expired food prepared by an unexperienced homeless man, but it's more likely that they were feigning enjoyment. See the cat, see the cradle.
An example of "Cat's Cradle" that has occurred recently was when my aunt tutors me for the SAT. When she tries explaining a question that I get wrong I find it harder to understand after she has explained the right answer. She says that the answer is the answer because it is and it just makes sense. I nod my head and say that it does even if I do not really think it does because I just want to move on to the next question. However, my misunderstanding may also be due to her use of words that I feel she is tripping over as she tries to explain the answers, but that is just a lurking variable.
All “see the cat, see the cradle” means to me, and is illustrated by Newt Hoenikker reaction, is that no good can come when one’s perception is forced on another; particularly if that perception is flawed. The most obvious example of that today is the war in Iraq. The United States was led into the war on faulty intelligence and a patriotic second wind only to have most of the motives for entering proved ill-advised or unnecessary. Since we launched our crusade on terrorism in Baghdad and subsequently Iraq, approximately 400,000 Sudanese citizens have been killed in the genocide in Darfur. Two million innocent people have been driven from their homes so far, and yet the only US involvement was the formation of an ill-fated accord last May. But how much of that is in the news every day? See the cat, see the cradle.
Once, my mom made me take Dolce to the vet. My veterinarian said she had a spot on her fur which could grow into something problematic. I leaned over the table to try and see the dot on her pure white complexion. I didn’t see anything, and I said to the vet “Err... where?” and he said “Can’t you see it!?! It’s right there!” and he pointed into her white oblivion. Because I didn’t want to appear argumentative, I backed down and said “yea! I see it!” He has the doctorate, you know, and I have nothing. But Dolce had nothing in her fur, she’s a clean cat! I see the cat, but I don’t the problem!
L. Ron Hubbard has got it figured out. Thetans. All along it’s been about Thetans! Hate and squalor and insecurity have nothing to do with it. How could we not see!? Obviously the souls of an ancient alien race that was thoroughly boiled in a nuclear maelstrom at the heart of a volcano after being herded to Earth like cattle by the evil emperor Xenu are in fact at the heart of human suffering! Dianetics works! By assessing our Thetan levels using the tech of Hibbard I can finally liberate my soul (for the low, low price of my life savings, my house, my social security, my friends and my soul)! Scientology will surely save this world. So what if L. Ron Hubbard was a science fiction writer who is quoted as having said "The way to make a million dollars is to start a religion"? Look how “loving one another” worked out for all you Christians.
9 comments:
I spent the last Monday night at Skidmore College with the intention of visiting classes with the girls that were my hosts. I ended up attending an anthropology class in which the professor showed the class a documentary about Eskimo culture. I was surprised to see that the Eskimos were playing with string and showing their children what appeared to be the cat’s cradle. Although this is a very literal example of it from my life, I thought it was important to share because it illustrates the theme’s pervasiveness throughout the “human condition”. It also credits Vonnegut for being the brilliant genius that I’ve been hearing he is.
In cat’s cradle, people look for, and pretend to see, an illusion, for the simple reason that
they are told it is there. They feel as if they should see it, so they lie to others, and perhaps
themselves, often in hopes of self-protection. Wishing not to let others see my apparent
blindness, one night this past summer, some counselors at the conference at which I
worked and I were star gazing. Someone pointed out: “Oh, look, the Big Dipper!” As
everyone murmured responses of agreement, I remained clueless. People continued to
point out various constellations; to me the stars resembled only jumbled specs. Lest I be
ridiculed for my lack of knowledge, I’ve found that nodding and smiling is a far better
than having to endure: “How can you not see it? It’s right THERE!”
In my defense...I just realized that Jon and I posted about the same topic...upon reading the blogs before I wrote mine, Jon's wasn't up yet. Sorry!
I guess it is funny that we'd rather look smart than actually understand something.
The concept behind selling anything in the world is at its foundation "see the cat, see the cradle." If you can convince a million people that your product is the best--even if it's junk--they'll buy it. On an episode of "Penn & Teller: Bullshit!," they took over an expensive restaurant for a night and replaced all the really fancy dishes with, for lack of a better term, crap (without the diners' knowledge). The diners ordered their expensive dinners, paid for expensive dinners, and when asked how they enjoyed them, raved about their "expensive dinners." It's possible that they actually enjoyed expired food prepared by an unexperienced homeless man, but it's more likely that they were feigning enjoyment. See the cat, see the cradle.
An example of "Cat's Cradle" that has occurred recently was when my aunt tutors me for the SAT. When she tries explaining a question that I get wrong I find it harder to understand after she has explained the right answer. She says that the answer is the answer because it is and it just makes sense. I nod my head and say that it does even if I do not really think it does because I just want to move on to the next question. However, my misunderstanding may also be due to her use of words that I feel she is tripping over as she tries to explain the answers, but that is just a lurking variable.
All “see the cat, see the cradle” means to me, and is illustrated by Newt Hoenikker reaction, is that no good can come when one’s perception is forced on another; particularly if that perception is flawed. The most obvious example of that today is the war in Iraq. The United States was led into the war on faulty intelligence and a patriotic second wind only to have most of the motives for entering proved ill-advised or unnecessary. Since we launched our crusade on terrorism in Baghdad and subsequently Iraq, approximately 400,000 Sudanese citizens have been killed in the genocide in Darfur. Two million innocent people have been driven from their homes so far, and yet the only US involvement was the formation of an ill-fated accord last May. But how much of that is in the news every day? See the cat, see the cradle.
Once, my mom made me take Dolce to the vet. My veterinarian said she had a spot on her fur which could grow into something problematic. I leaned over the table to try and see the dot on her pure white complexion. I didn’t see anything, and I said to the vet “Err... where?” and he said “Can’t you see it!?! It’s right there!” and he pointed into her white oblivion.
Because I didn’t want to appear argumentative, I backed down and said “yea! I see it!” He has the doctorate, you know, and I have nothing.
But Dolce had nothing in her fur, she’s a clean cat! I see the cat, but I don’t the problem!
Becky Gessler
L. Ron Hubbard has got it figured out. Thetans. All along it’s been about Thetans! Hate and squalor and insecurity have nothing to do with it. How could we not see!? Obviously the souls of an ancient alien race that was thoroughly boiled in a nuclear maelstrom at the heart of a volcano after being herded to Earth like cattle by the evil emperor Xenu are in fact at the heart of human suffering! Dianetics works! By assessing our Thetan levels using the tech of Hibbard I can finally liberate my soul (for the low, low price of my life savings, my house, my social security, my friends and my soul)! Scientology will surely save this world. So what if L. Ron Hubbard was a science fiction writer who is quoted as having said "The way to make a million dollars is to start a religion"? Look how “loving one another” worked out for all you Christians.
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