Dr. Seuss and Philosophy - Jacob M. Held [12]
In the Phaedo, Socrates’ friend Simmias provides a very Seussian metaphor for the situation we face as we navigate the journey of our lives: “One should achieve one of these things: learn the truth about these things or find it for oneself, or, if that is impossible, adopt the best and most irrefutable of men’s theories, and, borne upon this, sail through the dangers of life as upon a raft
. . .”20 As we sail through life, we’re going to face new situations and challenges that our previous life and experiences haven’t prepared us for. We’re going to have setbacks and failures, slumps and loneliness, hazards and dangers that we’ll need courage and wisdom to traverse. And “when you’re in a Slump, / you’re not in for much fun. / Un-slumping yourself / is not easily done” (Places). Especially in a rapidly changing world, we’ll continually face new challenges and new “games” that we need to learn to play in order to succeed. Sometimes things will go our way, but often, they won’t. The person who is able to live best and most successfully is someone who has developed the ability to think rationally and thoughtfully about what really matters, who can learn from her mistakes and continually improve the raft upon which she sails the seas of life, and who can make wise decisions. As Seuss says, “Life’s a Great Balancing Act” (Places). The key is to find the right balance.
Perhaps more importantly, for Socrates, living rationally constitutes a distinctively human way of life. Even before Socrates, Greek philosophers agreed that what makes humans special and different from other animals is our ability to reason. To say that humans are rational beings means, among other things, that we can weigh options and choose the path for ourselves that we judge best. A human being is not a mere thing, carried passively along the currents of life. In order to flourish and excel in a human life, we must use the brains in our heads to decide what our lives will be.
Kid, You’ll Move Mountains!
Step with care and great tact
and remember that Life’s a Great Balancing Act.
Just never forget to be dexterous and deft.
And never mix up your right foot with your left.
And will you succeed? Yes! You will, indeed! (98 and ¾ percent guaranteed.) (Places)
The ending of Oh, the Places You’ll Go! is thoroughly positive. Dr. Seuss assures us that, if we take his advice and set off boldly along the journey of life, we’ll do great things. But how can Seuss be so confident of success? Aren’t some setbacks and slumps just too much to overcome? Don’t even the best choices sometimes fail to work out?
Once again, I think Dr. Seuss’s answer to these questions is similar to the ones Socrates and other ancient philosophers would give. Socrates and most ancient philosophers argued that, in the final reckoning, the external events of life aren’t what matter most. If you don’t actually fly ahead of other people or win games or manage to move a mountain, that’s not important. What matters is the attitude that you have about life, the choices you make in the face of what life gives you. Seuss and the ancient philosophers agree that someone who has the courage to question and find her own path and the wisdom to face problems and challenges with equanimity, who develops rational abilities to make good decisions about her life, will almost certainly succeed in life. So, as Dr. Seuss says, “be your name Buxbaum or Bixby or Bray / or Mordecai Ali Van Allen O’Shea, / you’re off to Great Places! Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting. So . . . get on your way!” (Places).
CHAPTER TWO
My Troubles Are Going to Have Troubles with Me: Schopenhauer, Pessimism, and Nietzsche
Jacob M. Held
Philosophy is the love of wisdom, and we seek wisdom in order to live well. And to live well is to excel at being