01 June 2010

Beating your Inner Child

Children are described in a thousand different ways, but almost all of these descriptions contain that all too familiar vocal gesture, the sonic equivalent of rolling the eyes (come to think of it, how would that work? rolling the vocal chords? the larynx?): he/she/it is just a child. JUST. Most people dismiss children outright, which isn't surprising, merely dismaying.
Children are far more complex and more capable than most people realize. Your average 2 year old chestburster is capable of more movement and manipulation than even their parents realize. The capability and lack of recognition is more than likely the effect of one very simple truth: 2 year olds are psychopaths.
Before you damn me as polemic and insane, realize that children (in their formative years) possess no structures for morality. They are essentially sociopaths. This is exactly as it should be. The little murderers-in-training have the monster beaten (figuratively, of course) out of them by time, experience, and hopefully good caregivers/patients.
Of course, the id remains with them throughout life.  We never fully lose the urges, needs, and impulses that make two year olds monsters and the rest of us merely human. Thankfully they are, more often than not, buried under so many layers of ethics and neuroses that pure impulse-urge rarely sees the light of day and we (as a species) can occasionally aspire to something more than complete and utter anarchy.
There is something to be said for these impulses and desires. I strongly suspect that pure creative impulse derives from that very same place. Perhaps being a full, complete human being requires a watchful parent-of-the-mind holding the reins of a psychotic, rabid animal-child.
As often as I've said it, it does bear repeating: human beings are cheaply made, badly run chemical systems at all times one very short step from total disaster.
All this bouncing around my skull, and I'm caring for children? Be afraid. Be very afraid.

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