Getting the Elephant inside the Refrigerator (September 4,2007)

Getting the Elephant inside the Refrigerator
By: Maria Reylan M. Garcia

I can’t seem to get this joke out of my mind. How do you place an elephant inside a refrigerator? Unorthodox as this mind buggler may be, the wise story teller answers this with three simple ways. First, you open the refrigerator, second, you let the elephant in, and third, you close the refrigerator. Pure genius, if you ask me. No doctorate degree holder can scientifically explain the madness held within this laugh-out-loud anecdote. Besides, the principles of physics may be totally against the brilliant story teller. I contradict not because I find it impossible to squeeze in an elephant inside a refrigerator, I contradict because there are other ways to place this large of a mammal inside the chilly compartment. How do these steps sound? First, you chop the elephant into several slices. Second, open the refrigerator. Third, place the head on the freezer, the trunk in the vegetable bin and the rest of his body along the egg racks. Then, close the refrigerator. Yes, there are thousands of ways, including drilling a whole on your fridge, just make sure you have a one year warranty for that matter.

Mathematics is not really my strongest point, or my second strongest point, or my third, you get the idea. But, if there’s one thing I’ve learned from those horrifying numbers that is there is no single solution to any mathematical equation. There are zillions of figures we barely even know that exist, and thus are capable of being used to derive a certain answer. That may be the reason why, solutions in problem solving are given points, other than the answer itself. This only shows that what man thinks is right, is not at all absolute. What man thinks is definite is not at all universal. What man thinks is real is not at all genuine. Most applicably, when we are dealing with a person’s opinion.

Every man was given a gift of will and rationality. Which means, he has his own purpose, his own reason, his own belief and perspective; these things no one can ever persecute. I even think that these may be the only things that can’t be bought or bribed away from a person. That is why, my body thermometer would reach its optimum boiling point, when I come across meeting someone who does not consider other else’s opinion, who thinks rather that his opinion should be considered by others. If facts and certain truths have all the alternatives, what makes opinion or perspective so taboo to these? I may restrain myself if I would found out that the world would turn against someone who answered I’m 65 years old if he was asked “What is your name”. But for some question that entails one’s view and his reason why he picked it and in the end was K.Oed by a self proclaimed connoisseur wanna be; I’m sorry but he’s getting his butt kicked by a concerned 16-year old.

There is a massive flood. A flood of know-it-alls brought about by a typhoon of self centered thorns. That is why our country couldn’t get any ounce of mobility because everyone thinks he is always right and should be followed by the rest. It’s not a bad habit to speak your mind out and influence others to your cause, I am currently doing one. But within the process, take time to shut up and listen to other else’s voices. You might not know, their ideas are better or to the least can complement your own perception. Besides, tell me, when in the history of beauty pageants has a contestant mocked by judges after answering the Question and Answer portion? Never. Why? It’s because it was an opinion.

Before anyone gets the wrong idea, I am not saying that the truth shall be nullified or the falsity should be treated legitimate just to simply let everyone be happy with themselves.
It is a matter of finding the reason behind the mistake or the flaw within the driven-out plan. I’ll put it this way, is it acceptable for A to call B an idiot if he answered NO and supported magnificently his stand. The question goes this way : Can such blah-blah be applied in your everyday life? If YES, why? If NO, why? A believes the blah-blah is applicable to his life, so when B said NO, A proclaims that B is wrong, not even laying his eardrums to listen for B’s Oscar-worthy supporting statement. Acceptable? I don’t think so.

Thomas Edison found millions of ways how not to invent a light bulb. There are thousands of ways how to kill a cat. There are hundreds of ways how to put into writing my thoughts. A person who considers himself and his opinion to be absolute is nothing more but a chatterbox and a motor mouth of ideas. But a person who considers himself and his opinion just one of the several is simply a man of principles.

There are around eight billion people in the world. Therefore, there are around eight billion ideas on how to place the elephant inside the refrigerator. Not just the story teller’s ways. Within those eight billion, are but some tiny commonalities, are but some minute coincidences. This is where fact, reality and truth become alive. Opinions vary from one person to the other, in order to keep this difference constructive, respect and openness are needed.

If ever you might be disagreeing with my thoughts. Go ahead, you are free. I won’t accuse you, I respect your opinion.

But in any case you would say that my opinion is wrong.
That’s a different story.
I’ll place you inside the refrigerator if you don’t mind.


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