What makes a man “a man?” When, if ever, do we grow from children into adults? Ambassador Minton presents the idea
during his speech to honor the Hundred Martyrs to Democracy that perhaps a
child is never really “a man” except when he dies for his country. Or at least society refers to him as “a
man”. Minton argues on page 254
“they are murdered children all the same.” As children, we see the world as an endless
possibility. We don’t know where
we will end up, but we believe it will be purposeful and fulfilling. Minton says, “we might best spend the
day despising what killed them [the children]; which is to say, the stupidity
and viciousness of all mankind. (254).”
Thus, maybe Minton is referring to the fact that until we truly understand
how pointless and brutal the world is, which is showcased during war, we are
still children at heart. It seems The Books of Bokonon perpetuate this
thought as well because the entire Bokonon religion is based on people telling
themselves white lies. The pretext
of Cat’s Cradle shows the quote from The
Books of Bokonon: “Live by the foma
that make you brave and kind and healthy and happy”. If we, like the Bokononists, live our lives believing that
life is purposeful and safe and happy, even when we know there are wars and
destruction and ignorance in the world, are we basically living in a constant
state of childhood? And is this constant denial of the world necessary to our surviving it, as Bokonon suggests?
I think that this is an interesting idea. Everybody is always a child (at least to some extent). We all have parents, therefore, we are always somebody's children. Life is unpredictable, and looking at it through a perspective of a child makes life seem like an adventure. Children also "bury their heads in the sand", which just perpetuates problems. Children lie to themselves all the time to get their ways, or even to prove that they are right. This quality sticks with us as we age. We always want to be right, and will tell ourselves lies to make ourselves feel better. So, are we all like Peter Pan, who never really grows up? I do not know of any point that a person can fully grow out of their childhood.
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