The Jewish goat solution
Nice title huh? Well, Josh got me thinking about it, though I’m not quite sure how. Randomness is what makes us better than computers though in my opinion.
Let me explain. I heard a stupid joke once, very stupid in fact but I think there’s a lesson hidden deep within it. I shall tell the joke first. (I’m not even sure it’s a joke…)
- There’s a Jewish man that has a large family and a small home and he’s at his wit’s end with attempting to find a solution to his crowded situation. With the wife and kids getting older, she’s complaining more about her health and the kids whining about privacy he seeks the help of the rabbi.”Rabbi, help me, you know my circumstance, help me, I’m near the end of my ability to cope.” says the Jewish man.To which the rabbi replies “My good man, buy a goat and bring it into your home.”The Jewish man is stunned and begins to sputter a reply “But rabbi… you know… how could I… we don’t have…”But the rabbi stops him with a handwave and simply says “Just do as I say.”Well being a good Jew who has faith in God above the man goes out and buys a goat and brings it into his house. The wife screams and the kids cry and the man winces but bears the burden.
An entire month goes by and the man’s situation is as dire as ever he has just about had it and so he calls the rabbi again begging for help.
“Sell the goat.” the rabbi says.
The man goes and sells the goat the very same day and calls the rabbi back.
“Rabbi you’ve saved my life. With the goat gone we’ve got so much space and less noise and dust and dirt, there’s more money now that I don’t have to feed the animal, thank you, thank you, thank you.” the Jewish man says.
Why the man was Jewish in the story I have no idea but that’s how I heard it. Yeah it’s probably a waste of your time to read it but for the neat kernel of truth in it. Do we do the same kinds of things to ourselves? Does materialism and relativity merge and collude in ways as to make us hyper-aware of our place in the world? Does everything really just depend on which side of the fence we sit?
Or do most people just not think about these kinds of things and think the donkey story is just stupid?