Gamble
"Yes, and there's unwelcome support in the form of a gamble with one's children. A parent prescribes wisdom for the child that he never followed himself when he was of that age or circumstance. That's the gamble - that the wisdom works, that it gives the kid the hoped for advantage."
"Is that the literal meaning of 'raising' a child - lifting him up with one's wisdom?" Director asked.
"I think it is."
"But some parents don't want to 'raise' anything, right? They want their children with their feet firmly on the ground. What comes of that?"
"What comes of it? Well, you have to find your own feet. And you have to plant them yourself. That's what 'bloom where you are planted' means. It should be 'bloom where you plant yourself' instead.
"Are the kids 'planted' by their parents dead-enders, as it were?"
"You know what I think such 'planted' kids are all about?" Son shook his head with some disgust. "The regime."
"What?" Director asked in mild surprise, fighting off the urge to laugh.
"Oh, yes. Their parents put their faith in the regime. If only their kids obey, all will be well. They want their children to play the game, to succeed within the regime, whatever form that regime takes, even though they themselves don't believe in it wholeheartedly. They may have even felt oppressed by the regime for much if not all of their life. Nonetheless, they see the regime - any regime - as inevitable, and want their kids to win with it."
"Hmm. You know, I wonder. Do you think, in part, at least on some level, certain parents recognize their kids for what they are, decide they really don't like them, and then plant them to keep them out of the way? Maybe these parents should change their taste in people to fit the fact of their progeny?
Son thought for a moment. "What if it's worse than dislike? What if the parents think their offspring are bad, evil? What if there is hate?"
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Nick Pappas, pappasnick.typepad.com
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