[lit-ideas] I'll learn'em to steal my house!
- From: Jlsperanza@xxxxxxx
- To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Fri, 4 Jun 2010 04:10:34 EDT
In a message dated 6/3/2010 11:06:04 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,
jejunejesuit.geary2@xxxxxxxxx writes:
Apparently education, intelligence and the dictates of morality have
little influence on human behavior.
From the Wind in the Willows:
'I'll learn 'em to steal my house!' he cried. 'I'll learn 'em, I'll learn
'em!'
'Don't say "learn 'em," Toad,' said the Rat, greatly shocked. 'It's not
good English.'
'What are you always nagging at Toad for?' inquired the Badger, rather
peevishly. 'What's the matter with his English? It's the same what I use
myself, and if it's good enough for me, it ought to be good enough for you!'
'I'm very sorry,' said the Rat humbly. 'Only I think it ought to be "teach
'em," not "learn 'em."'
'But we don't want to teach 'em,' replied the Badger. 'We want to learn 'em
— learn 'em, learn 'em! And what's more, we're going to do it, too!'
'Oh, very well, have it your own way,' said the Rat. He was getting rather
muddled about it himself, and presently he retired into a corner, where he
could be heard muttering, 'Learn 'em, teach 'em, teach 'em, learn 'em!'
till the Badger told him rather sharply to leave off.
Geary:
"Apparently education, intelligence and the dictates of morality have
little influence on human behavior."
Good for analysis.
I would distinguish:
education -- educate -- "Teach" rather than learn.
Intelligence -- more to do with 'learn' rather than teach
The dictates of morality are neither here nor there. I would have thought
Geary's dictum to read:
"Apparently education and intelligence have little influence on morality".
which most people will concede. Morality is NOT about either learn'em or
teach'em!
-------- J. L. Speranza
---------- Buenos Aires, Argentina.
---- Tennessee Williams, self-taught does it.
(Let's do it, let's fall in love)
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