Absurdity is one of the most human things about us: a manifestation of our most advanced and interesting characteristics. ~ Thomas Nagel
"Teach me to be silly," I asked my daughters. "It looks like fun!"
So we spent an afternoon fine-tuning farting sounds, making up scatology words and jumping around like senseless gorillas. Noise, mess and laughter. These are the ingredients of silliness.
Despite giving it my best shot I realised that the fun I was having was not an immediate affect of the silliness but from observing the joy my children were getting out of this. My daughters, on the other hand, were approaching silliness for its own sake, obtaining first-hand fun from the absurd.
When I explained the difference between their unfiltered frivolity and my more adulterated amusement, they could not understand. They think silliness is just as much enjoyable even when there is nobody to share the stupidity with. For them, the very act is intriguing.
"Is it that much fun being serious?" they asked.
"It's neither fun nor wise," I said. "I don't think we should put seriousness over silliness every time."
But I know that someday they might...I do.
Oh, how I wish I were a nitwit - but by not being one - perhaps I am!
2 comments:
I still catch myself singing "Oh, Where Is My Hair Brush" a veggie tales song, and I'm 48 and have no children. Nothing wrong with being a little silly once in a while (or two)
When you have kids you are not sure if you are singing your childhood songs for YOU or for THEM. It is important to be silly for silly's sake and for YOU! But on second thoughts, perhaps silly is more than jumping around like a gorrilla and singing Bananas in Pyjamas (Aussie version to Veggie tales)...perhaps we are all silly after all...
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