On Tue, 25 May 1999, Alex Rumford wrote: > what's the point in knowledge/ wisdom/ genius etc. if youre not happy > or, as a result of them, cant face up to the reality of life outside > book and theory? isnt there a little suggestion that ignorance is > bliss in the stories since few of those blessed with brains are > socially able, or their wisdom leads them to disillusionment? (a kind > of perverted ideal of the end product of wisdom) sure, franny > realises through her brother that we have to accept imperfections, > and do goodwill for the sake of goodwill etc. but > 1. seymour didnt seem to ever reconcile wisdom and happiness (and he > was allegedly the smartest) > 2. zooey (who realised that everyone is the fat lady) is still a bit > of a patronising arse despite what he says. he says he cant hold > conversations etc with people, and bessie accuses him of cruelty to > those who aspire to knowledge. > so are these people freaks or depressives because of their wisdom, > as opposed to the overwhelmingly happy people we might expect to see > victims, or is it the case that the fact of their wisdom has made > them celebrities and outsiders which, in turn, makes them freaks? as > a result of their intelligence they have been singled out (see > carpenters when seymour is vehemently defended by his brother) and > thus are societal misfits of a kind. pah! im happy being thick and > sitting in the pub rather than analysing everything and being > regarded as a freaky prodigy. Hmmm, I kind of expected this sort of thing out of an American mouth. ;) Maybe it was with JS Mills, or Bentham, who started this obsession with Happiness, but I don't really see why happiness is the goal of life. I don't think that's what Salinger is looking for either. Enlighenment is not happiness. Enlightenment is not bliss. -j