"It seems as if in the process of growing up we lose the ability to wonder about the world."
What Alberto Knox is trying to say is that people tend to care less about their surroundings and the way things work as they age, falling into a daily routine and questioning things less and less. This is, i suppose, understandable, as we will be gaining sufficient knowledge as we grow older to rationalise and impose reality according to how we think the world works.
Saying that, I find that I actually AGREE with Alberto Knox's statement. Adults do SEEM to wonder less or may even discourage the act of wondering, dismissing it as childish. Even when faced with the unexplainable, people will sometimes block out all other sources of reason and fixate on their own explanation based on their knowledge, no matter how wrong it might be. For example, one Youtube user insisted that a video of an octopus camoflauging itself was digitally faked (which it clearly wasn't), ignoring all the comments around him/her.
I think one of the key factors that affects how much people wonder is motivation. Alberto Knox mentions this, stating that 'they become so comfortable they never risk crawling back up the fragile hairs again'. I am a living example of one of these people. I believe this statement does not necessarily mean we are taking the world for granted, but rather enjoying the short life bestowed upon us and appreciating the stability before it changes, which it does so often. To the average person there is not much incentive to wonder, when all the things and people that we care about are right in front of us.
I should take this chance and snuggle deeper into the rabbit's fur before a huge man comes along with a shaver and shaves all of it off. It could happen any day.
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5 comments:
Andrew, I thoroughly agree with your points. I think it is understandable when adults avoid endless questions and question problems as they follow their on reasonings they have developed as they have grown up. I also agree that many people do not like having changes, hence adults will stick to their own beliefs.
It is not only adults who think that way. Do we like being uprooted and made to change? I believe that we mostly do not. After we form our most basic beliefs, we rarely change. The elderly only seem to get more fixated on their beliefs.
Changing our opinions is inconvenient and as one change can lead to another, we tend to stick to the easy way. This is of course not necessarily the best way, so regardless of age we need to learn to listen to others and stop being egocentric.
I agree that grown ups do avoid questions that cannot be answered to complicate their life. But just because they prefer not to think about that, does not mean they lose the ability to, because if they choose to wonder about that stuff, they could.
Personal choices - what a grand way of putting it. I really like your reasoning. It makes me want to snug up to the fur too.
But say if there actually WAS an ultimate answer, that the magician especially decided to let you in on the trick, would you rather take the chance to know the secret or continue loving family, friends, living in a sort of denial? Would you feel guilty or not? Just supposing.
to Angel: I did not say that they lose their ability - in the question, it says they SEEM to lose their ability (because they use it less).
and to Zoe: the ultimate answer must be pretty ... if knowing it causes you to push away your loved ones. And to some people, the secret of the trick is all about keeping the people you care about close; the meaning of life, their reason for living.
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