26 January 2009

the philosophies of small children

Setting:  Hamburg-Othmarschen, tutoring Paul the Korean kid, age 9

Paul (looking up from his math problem):  What do you want to be?

Me:  You mean when I grow up?

Paul: Yeah.

Me (thinking):  I don't know.  I mean, I still don't know.

Paul:  You still don't know?

Me:  I want to be everything.

Paul:  You have to choose!

Me:  I don't want to...I want to be happy.

Paul:  Then you will be an artist?

Me:  Are artists happy?

Paul (pausing):  No.  They are unhappy.

Me:  Maybe I won't be one, then.  An artist.

Paul:  All people are unhappy.  I think.

Me:  Hm.  You might be right.


He reminds me of a postmodern Thomas Hobbes.

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