As usual, it’s easier to tear things down than to build them up.
August 2, 2016
Bird of Mass Destruction
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As usual, it’s easier to tear things down than to build them up.
That is undoubtedly true, Jean, most certainly in terms of build/destroy time ratio.
However, when you watch small children (by which I mean under two and a half to three) they will painstakingly build something with, say, wooden bricks. Takes them ages, many attempts. No sooner is their architectural masterpiece accomplished they’ll look at it, take a moment of pleasure in it, look at you in triumph. Then one of their little paws – in a such a deliberate way – wipes out all the previous effort. Rubble. Ruin. From an adult perspective you wonder and scratch your head. But oh no. The toddler will be delighted. He/she has discovered power, self determination. And – and this is the truly astonishing part – he/she will start again. Unperturbed. With the same concentration. Twenty minutes later … Repeat.
Makes me smile.
U
Yes, it’s fun to destroy things. Some people never learn to resist the urge, even when they haven’t built it. We all have vandalism stories to tell. And, of course, there’s the supporters of Donald Trump. You might be interested in Robert Kagan’s How Fascism Comes to America
Here are two children in an art gallery destroying a glass sculpture that took 27 months to make. The parents no doubt thought they were adorable.
Here are more details.
I like Ursula’s take on this. It’s self-determination, as in, “I built it, now I can wreck it”!
Except she didn’t build it, and I think she was curious rather than enjoying toppling things.
like a two year old!
I went on then to watch and listen to other cockatoos… they’re just amazing.
and like the human two year old in their delight of ‘tearing down.’
wouldn’t even be surprised if they could build!
I was amazed at the dexterity in the way it handled the cups!
I loved the way she handled the cups, too. She’s priceless.
🙂
Agreed!