Why do things that happen to examine this dichotomy in our stupid people keep happening nature. to me? - Homer Simpson In seeking insight, perhaps Committees are the bane of my we can find better ways to existence. Even though I know come to grips with our that much of the work of the differences. world would never get done For almost 50 years, Kurt were it not for the stalwarts Vonnegut was perceptive and who volunteer to sit on profound, and funny in committees and boards, I feel exposing humans to who we are particularly justified in and how we operate. making this particular As a prisoner of war in statement, since I have Dresden, Germany, during volunteered to sit on way too World War II, Vonnegut many committees in my life, witnessed the bombing especially in the years devastation of the city. He before my current marriage. knew what he talking about. You needed a seat filled, I Cat's Cradle was originally was there, baby, no questions published in 1963; it is as asked. apropos today as it was in And many boards and the midst of the cold war. committees do a lot of The first sentence of Cat's valuable work. But some? Well, Cradle conjures up another I am reminded of the Babylon literary opening. "Call me 5 episode in which two Jonah. My parents did, or warring nations of a planet nearly did. They called me erupt into battle every few John." years over a trivial issue. From that moment on, Vonnegut There have ben steps made to plunges into a dark satirical alleviate the problem, so journey. Once the reader that blood is not spilled dives in with him, there is needlessly, but, as one no turning back. warrior says to B5's Vonnegut's first-person Commander Ivanova: narrator, John, sets out to Rule changes” - deep sigh - write The Day the World Ended. “lost in committee.” This is meant to be non- Oh, yeah, I’ve been there. fiction collection of "what I was always one to volunteer important Americans had done for various subcommittees, as on the day when the first well - especially the ones atomic bomb was dropped on that needed a letter or Hiroshima, Japan." document written. This is a His first encounter, by way trap, by the way, that the of correspondence, is with unwary should avoid as much the youngest son of Dr. Felix as they can. Hoenikker. The elder “Oh, you’re the writer,” Hoenikker had been the someone will say sweetly when leading scientist in the passing the task off to the creation of the A-Bomb. poor sap who agrees to write Next, John meets Dr. Breed, whatever needs to be written. who had also worked on “The rest of us don’t have developing the atomic bomb. your way with words.” Breed shares some history of Now that you ego has been Ilium, New York where much of sufficiently poisoned, off the research was done. Breed you go to write the needed tells of a man hanged in 1782 missive. After all, you are for murdering 26 people. The Writer. Breed says that the man sang The trouble will begin once on the scaffold. The you have presented your following conversation has finished product to the got to be the epitome of committee. denial. John begins: Suddenly everyone who wasn’t "‘What was the song about?' a writer the month before has ‘You can find the words over somehow become William at the historical Society, if Faulkner, and your prose is you're really interested.' ‘I submitted, line by line, word just wondered about the by word, to the fiercest general tone.' ‘He wasn't literary criticism one is sorry about anything.' ‘Some ever likely to encounter. people are like that.' ‘Think “Oh, I think this section of it!' said Dr. Breed. would have more impact if you ‘Twenty-six people he had on used these words . . .” his conscience!' ‘The mind “Are you sure you want to be reels,' I said." so direct? Maybe you could be Vonnegut was a master of that more subtle?” caliber of irony throughout Or the ever-popular Cat's Cradle. There are no “How come you forgot to sacred cows here. Vonnegut mention this?” This being nails just about every something so trivial that establishment in our culture; most board members don’t even he treats clerics, scientists, know about it. educators, politicians and By the time the “editing” is just run-of-the mill done, not only is your letter blowhards with an even handed or document something that satiric walloping. you don’t recognize but it Breed plants the notion in isn’t something that you John that Hoenikker had been would even claim to have working on a formula, ice- written when you were drunk. nine, that could instantly Finally, mistaking your freeze all liquid matter. Its glares for looks of intensify, purpose would have been to your fellow “writers” will make it easier for armies to all congratulate themselves - get through mud. As often and you, of course (you did happens in research, no have a hand in it, after all) thought was given to possible on the finely crafted piece consequences. Just because we of drivel. are scientifically or Next time, of course, one of technologically able to do them will volunteer to write something doesn't necessarily whatever document the mean that it's a good idea to committee/board needs. After do it. John's quest now turns all, we all got over this to discovering if any of the emotional hump. How hard can formula is still in existence. writing really be? More diabolical than germ ****** warfare is ice-nine warfare. Quote of the Day You freeze the seas, you It’s a mistake to remake a eradicate human existence. great picture, because you Cat's Cradle is about lies, can never make it better. the lies of institutions, the Better you should find a lies we pass off on one picture that was done badly another, and the lies we tell and see what can be done to ourselves. improve it. - Samuel Goldwyn In his readers, Vonnegut has ***** the talent to produce tears Cat’s Cradle while he induces laughter. Humans are an odd breed. We Oscar Wilde said that, "Life are the only species capable is too important to be taken of creating the exquisite seriously." Kurt Vonnegut has beauty of the Sistine Chapel always understood exactly in Rome, the Great Mosque in what Wilde meant by that Mecca and still be able to statement. wreak horrific death and I really miss this guy. destruction on one another. I rsdrake@cox.net think that it's healthy to
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