“Don’t tell me what to do” – The Gray Goose by Jonathan Lethem
9 thoughts on “Don’t tell me what to do”
I tell that to my boss everyday, but to no avail. It’s interesting how the quote gives these otherwise very ordinary objects some sort of human traits, almost as if they are actually engaged in some sort of conversation. Nice work, Martina.
If inanimate objects come to life then the world is more chaotic that it already seems to be. But if I were a chair or a trash container, I would have a different view point. Perhaps the unique human ability is to project ourselves into these inanimate objects.
Always great fun to think about what inanimate object would say or do. Nothing wrong with imagination. It certainly makes life more interesting. Don’t think we completely loose that ability as adults, but it sometimes gets tempered by responsibilities and expectations.
What remains for the adults are cars and computers – you would seem strange talking to your snowblower but nobody would think it strange if you tell your computer to hurry up, ;-)
Hmm, no, second thought, it’s not strange talking to a snowblower … and hydrants definitely are up to something when we are not looking …
I’m not so sure about chairs and ashtrays, but I’m right with you on hydrants. They are sneaky. Perhaps they are just getting even for the treatment they receive from all those dogs?
The ashtray certainly seems to have some attitude. Of course the chair did not feed it the cigarette:-)
The more I look at it the more it seems grumpy to me – a grumpy ashtray. Might be jealous of the chair who can move anywhere it wants while it has to stay there in every weather.
I tell that to my boss everyday, but to no avail. It’s interesting how the quote gives these otherwise very ordinary objects some sort of human traits, almost as if they are actually engaged in some sort of conversation. Nice work, Martina.
Thank you very much.
I often wonder if the unanimated things around us come to life when we are not looking ;-)
If inanimate objects come to life then the world is more chaotic that it already seems to be. But if I were a chair or a trash container, I would have a different view point. Perhaps the unique human ability is to project ourselves into these inanimate objects.
Aaah, who knows about the discussions between your car and your snowblower every night?
The concept is what so many childrens’ books and movies are about. I guess we lose most of the ability when growing up.
This is a ashtray and there is a small cigarette butt lying under the chair. I guess the ashtray was angry about the chair …
Always great fun to think about what inanimate object would say or do. Nothing wrong with imagination. It certainly makes life more interesting. Don’t think we completely loose that ability as adults, but it sometimes gets tempered by responsibilities and expectations.
What remains for the adults are cars and computers – you would seem strange talking to your snowblower but nobody would think it strange if you tell your computer to hurry up, ;-)
Hmm, no, second thought, it’s not strange talking to a snowblower … and hydrants definitely are up to something when we are not looking …
I’m not so sure about chairs and ashtrays, but I’m right with you on hydrants. They are sneaky. Perhaps they are just getting even for the treatment they receive from all those dogs?
The ashtray certainly seems to have some attitude. Of course the chair did not feed it the cigarette:-)
The more I look at it the more it seems grumpy to me – a grumpy ashtray. Might be jealous of the chair who can move anywhere it wants while it has to stay there in every weather.