Through a Glass Darkly

For today's exercise, class, I'd like you to imagine you're a person in a very restricted community, surrounded by friends who are happy and enthusiastic about the community. You, however, know more about the world outside the hedge than they do, and don't share either their fear of the mythical horrors or their half-admitted hankering after the overrated pleasures.

When one of the community, seeing that you aren't enjoying the benefits as much as you ought, sits down to discuss what they could do for you, you tire of vagueness and say that you'd rather be outside. They, living and breathing the community, are dumbfounded. Why would you want to? What forbidden activity do you wish to indulge in? You, quite honestly, say that there is nothing that you can't do already, and that you don't expect to gain much. All they can ask is "Why?"

What is your answer? You have ten minutes to think, then we'll discuss it.

Everybody ready?

Those who said "to gain congruence between my internal and external lives", you can award yourselves two points. And take one of them away again for expressing the thought so pompously. But you're right in large part. Humans are not made to accept ideas and reality clashing all the time, and will get stressed.

Those who said "to gain freedom", you only get half a point. What does freedom mean if there is no specific activity you wish to gain? But you get that half point because there is a difference between open and private enjoyment.

I'll let you think about it a little more, and give you my answers next time.