This book shows the difference between a life which we know and one in our imaginations. Not only does Albert Knox rub a little fantasy to reality he also shows how we simply see everything as questions. Albert Knox stated that "It seems as if in the process of growing up we lose the ability to wonder about the world." By this Albert Knox is trying to show that as time goes by and we grow older, we start to lose interest in things and start to lose curiosity in everything we see. As a child, we are just born and we see things through our eyes as objects from outer space as though they never existed in our world to start with. Then we question... 'What is this? Why is it like this?' And without education and learning things by reading and through what we're taught we don't know the reasons and answers to all our questions. But when we're older, we know all the answers to what makes us curious and start to see everything as a daily life thing and start to lose interest.
I agree in a way with the quote stated by Albert Knox, However, Just because the world is floating in outer space, we do not lose interest because we get used to the "force of gravity". It is because the world becomes more like a habit to us. (i.e. what we do everyday is a habit to us. We wake up, go to school, go to classes, learn, go home, study, homework, shower, dinner, TV... everything. Why do we switch on the computer? Why do we lift a pen when we write? Why do we use our eyes to read?) We only know things we read, what we see and what we learn from daily life and in school therefore with a limited amount of knowledge it leaves us in a cloud full of questions all unanswered. Although we may learn from text and education, it's not enough to answer all our questions in depth until we have no questions left. For example given in the text on pg.17. There was Mom, Dad and Thomas who was only aged two to three. His father pretends that he's flying by floating around under the ceiling and with astonishment Thomas cries, "Daddy's flying!". Mom on the other hand "screams with fright". This already shows that with Thomas's simple vocabulary 'flying' shows that he does not know that human beings cannot fly and is curious about how his father did it and wonders in this own thoughts of mystery yet mom on the other hand has learnt that 'people cannot fly' therefore reacts with astonishment as he watches her husband fly perhaps worried that her husband might drop and injure himself.
Another example is that once people get older and start living their daily life, they go through many obstacles everyday or maybe the same thing over and over again. Yet since it is a daily thing, they do not have a chance to think or to wonder about things. For working adults who work until they're dead by the time they reach home don't have the time to stop for a split second to even think about 'Why am I doing this? What is my purpose of doing so?' These questions get simply pushed away into the back of their life as "They craw deep into the rabbit's fur, snuggle down comfortably, and stay there for the rest of their lives." As children we see the world as everything as everything is new to us and have time to sit and think of questions and things we get curious about and have no answer to. For instance, 'Why do clouds move? Why are we breathing?' but adults on the other hand accept the fact the world is just the way it is and that it's a matter of course while they're living in this world.
Therefore, in my opinion I agree with Albert Knox's statement that as people grow older they seem to care less about what happens around them as they except things and changes that happen in the society around them due to their social life which push away the reasons and questions of their curiosity pushed into the dark where they are temporarily forgotten till the people think of them once again. Although the adults may have questions regarding things they are unsure of or things they get curious about, it happens less as they've lived through life longer and have had lots of experience and learnings which help them understand the basics of their answers unlike new born who are new to the world and look at everything in curiosity, wanting to know more about it.
Concluding my points from above the fact that when we grow older and know more about the world, we "tend to lose the ability to wonder about the world". I think this is true and false as we lose curiosity and leave the questions somewhere in our thoughts but the questions and things which happen to us right now blind us and make us focus on those. Therefore, we don't really lose the ability but just don't give much time and effort to try and focus on those questions because of the things happening before right now.
By: Rie Nomoto
1 comment:
Those adult's who you have explained, who lose their 'faculty of wonder', or just wonder less compared to a child, are those who have been educated, or whose lives are crammed full of work and other things to do.
However, there are those who become educated, and it is this increase in knowledge that drives them further into wanting to know more, to increase their faculty of wonder. How do you think known philosopher's become known? If the 'faculty of wonder' is all that is needed to become a good philosopher, then everyone, when they were born, would be philosophers! But, people like Plato have become educated and taught, and it is they who have grown older and dared to ask questions and dwell deeper into what is not solid fact (at that time). It is people like Plato (and many others to be named) that become 'Great' philosophers as their faculty of wonder go lightyears beyond that of a child (just an exaggerration).
Based on the wording and structure of the sentence, i dont think anyone can truly agree with Albert Knox's phrase (this is just my opinion).
However, those are very good examples you have made to prove your the points you have made, one such as our habit of living with the 'force of gravity', and interesting comments as well, how you expressed your personal opinion and all. Dont take my criticism too seriously mui cuz i really like critisizing people's work when im bothered.
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