10.08.2007

Piece of String

OK. We made an observation the other day: Cat has fun playing with piece of string. Needs no other moving parts. String perfectly sufficient for complete amusement.

Humans have fun watching cat play with string. Probably humans have MORE fun watching cat than cat has playing with string. Humans talk to cat, who ignores them and plays with string. Humans talk to each other about how cat plays with string. Humans laugh at cat -- cat playing with string is ridiculous. Oblivious to reality. Doesn't know how silly it looks. Humans mock cat. Cat focuses on string. Continues ignoring humans. Continues playing with string. Cat has nice experience.

So...

Which are you? Cat....or human? Are you actually playing with string? Or just watching?

Thank you. That is all.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Cat is conducting complicated behavioral experiments on Human response to external stimuli. Do not be fooled. They are preparing to enslave the human race. We MUST be prepared to defend---

(What? Yes, I know it's thirty minutes to feeding time. Yes, I am aware that in five minutes it will be twenty five minutes to feeding time. Where's your toy mouse? Under the fridge, again?! Okay, okay, I'm coming...)

Gotta run...

David said...

I thought this was just an amusing anecdote the first time I read it, but on re-reading it it seems like a significant observation about human nature. Bordering on Buddhist philosophy maybe...

As for me, I could be content as either the human or the cat. What gets me are the days when life has decided I'm going to be the piece of string.

Anonymous said...

Yes. Exactly. Although I do get that weird pain in my forehead when Charlie does a brain scan to get me to open the fridge....