Riddle Me Wrapped
Consider: Human beings like making things. Human beings also like giving gifts to other human beings, and sometimes even to other animals.* Sometimes human beings make things that other human beings want to have, like dolls or clothing for said dolls. When this happens, the human beings who want the dolls (for example) are often willing to pay money to the human beings who made the dolls so as to be able to give the dolls to younger human beings whom they love. If many human beings like the made things, for example, the dolls, they then crowd into the shops selling those things. The makers of the things then make lots of money in exchange for the things that so many people want.
Some human beings would say that there is something terribly wrong with this picture. Is it a) that human beings like making things, like dolls and clothing? Is it b) that human beings are willing to honor other human beings for making things that they like by exchanging property or currency for those things? Is it c) that it sometimes happens that the makers of things make things that many (even, many, many) people like? Or is it d) that human beings like giving each other gifts? Myself, I would say that it is e) none of the above. It's just that the human beings choosing the gifts are anxious about whether the loved ones for whom they are shopping will like the things that they have chosen and about whether they have thought to buy presents for all of the loved ones whom they should.**
Then again, perhaps it is f) the human beings buying the things as gifts have too many things that they like already and don't want the responsibility of taking care of more of them and so are afraid of what they will get in return. Or maybe it is g) liking things like clothing and dolls distracts us from liking more important things, like other human beings or God. But if g) is the case, why do we like making things so much in the first place?
Guess what? I bought the clothes for the doll.
*Usually the ones they keep as pets.
**Which also raises the question of how to define loved ones: family members and friends or (as a certain somebody taught) all of humanity?
Some human beings would say that there is something terribly wrong with this picture. Is it a) that human beings like making things, like dolls and clothing? Is it b) that human beings are willing to honor other human beings for making things that they like by exchanging property or currency for those things? Is it c) that it sometimes happens that the makers of things make things that many (even, many, many) people like? Or is it d) that human beings like giving each other gifts? Myself, I would say that it is e) none of the above. It's just that the human beings choosing the gifts are anxious about whether the loved ones for whom they are shopping will like the things that they have chosen and about whether they have thought to buy presents for all of the loved ones whom they should.**
Then again, perhaps it is f) the human beings buying the things as gifts have too many things that they like already and don't want the responsibility of taking care of more of them and so are afraid of what they will get in return. Or maybe it is g) liking things like clothing and dolls distracts us from liking more important things, like other human beings or God. But if g) is the case, why do we like making things so much in the first place?
Guess what? I bought the clothes for the doll.
*Usually the ones they keep as pets.
**Which also raises the question of how to define loved ones: family members and friends or (as a certain somebody taught) all of humanity?
Ha! I think I actually know what you are talking about. Thanks.
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