Cat's Cradle monologue (Jonah's POV)

May 18, 2008

All these things are meant to happen. There are no buts or exceptions-it all was meant. The simplicity of it all goes by most; the noticeability of it is rare to understand. The point is, the meaning of life goes farther than just a game we all play at. There are many spectrums and chasms to look through in which to find the general meaning. Most are too preoccupied and unable to focus entirely on one thing-the general idea of the world is vast and hard to decipher. Most see it as a silly game, no meaning, for the hardships our world has seen throughout history is hard to put behind us all. Others believe there is a higher power, but not sure how to comprehend it. Still some believe we live and then die-a timeless expression that is the most common to see.

The relentless belief of mine, however, is the perception I am trying to describe: Life is a complicated and unpredictable chain of reactions in which we all try to find our place in the world. There is an unknown path we must all follow, the one we are meant to.

To live, the majority give up an identity to find themselves, which I see as irony. To lose yourself you find who you are? No, no, no. This is a shameless ideal our society tries to teach us all, which should not be seen as the meaning. Do not believe it. You are who you are. To add to that, what you say and how you say things does not describe who you are. It is another form of understanding man tries to throw over you and pretend he has won, for he has "understood" something. It is a harmless hoax that man downs himself in.

I will recite a famous Bokononist phrase, which I'm sure all of you have heard:

"Tiger got to hunt, bird got to fly;
Man got to sit and wonder 'why, why, why?'
Tiger got to sleep, bird got to land;
Man got to tell himself he understand."

Ones who take life too seriously believe life is too serious. They do not believe it is a game at all, merely for the fact of the desire to succeed.

However, a steady balance of seriousness and humor is what the world is in dire need of. Taking a step back, and realizing possession is not the one thing we need to live is the balance we do not desire, but need. The land we desire is always more, the electronic devices we desire is always more-in quantity or quality, nonetheless. This is silly.

For what we should desire more than ever is to live. To truly live, not a fantasy we always misplace in our mind. We must realize the small things and everything in between. While most of the majority is lost, the others are asleep. They do not realize what comes to them when it comes. They do not notice the importance of something when it is there.

To truly live we must believe we are alive.
And as for life, you must undo the convoluted knots society has left for us.
Only then will it happen---
You will not understand. You will know.