Persistence and Apples - A riddle.
The reason I put it in philosophy is because I felt that it wouldn't really fit in anywhere else. It’s been driving me nuts for years now. Keep in mind that it’s written in the form of a parable, so it might sound silly at times. Also, please refrain from jokes about the last woman that picked an apple. We all know where that got us.:roll:
You are walking along the path of your life when you come to an orchard of apple trees. You find one special tree and after a time, you realize that you’re starving for the apple that grows on this particular tree. You know without a doubt in your mind that this apple is THE apple for you. This apple will end your hunger forever. But the apple is too high for you to reach. What do you do?
Sound simple enough? Here, let me rough it up for you some more by adding some choices and questions to think about:
Do you try and climb the tree to get to the apple?
What if the bark is too slick to climb?
Do you ask someone for help to get the apple?
What if someone gives you a boost, and then drops you?
Do you kick the shit out of the tree and hope the apple falls into your hands?
Do you sit down at the base of the tree and wait—perhaps until you die—for the apple to fall of its own accord?
Do you walk away from the apple that will end your hunger?
What if/how would you feel if someone else came across that same tree, and somehow managed to climb up to the apple with ease?
Now, what if the apple suddenly speaks to you? What if the apple tells you, “Leave me be, I’m not the one for you. There are plenty of other apples just as sweet in this orchard.” Do you move on to another tree and settle for an apple that may satiate you for a while, but won’t end your hunger? Do you ignore the apple’s words and keep trying? And what if the apple says, “How do you know I’m not rotten on the inside?” What do you do then? Do you keep trying? How do you really know the apple is rotten until you taste of it? Do you give up then and walk away?
Remember through all of this: you can talk to the apple until you’re blue in the face and the apple will never respond except to ask more questions.
And now, the riddle goes a step further:
Somehow, you’ve managed a small taste of the apple, but the apple leaps away from you and climbs back up the tree. You are now in the same situation you were when you first came upon the tree. Only now, you know the taste of that apple, and you know what it has to offer. I present the same questions as above. Do your answers change at all?
Think this over and respond. I think this might make an interesting and enlightening discussion. It’s not as easy as it looks. Trust me. And goddamn it, I’m not going to give up on this riddle.