Fools

March 31, 2014

Greetings from the Dupe,

Tomorrow is the first day of April, and carries with it a unique burden.  It is April Fool’s day.  It’s not exactly mandatory, not a legal holiday, but nobody has had the guts to call it off.

April Fool has a heritage over a 1000 years old.  The Romans, back when they were franchising the world, created the festival of ‘Hilaria’.  (‘Hilaria’sounds so much more dignified.)  Since then nearly every country in the world has developed their own holiday devoted to practical jokes and pranks.  The Scottish created ‘Hunt the Gowk Day.’  Not a really catchy phrase; Scots not being known for their marketing skills, hence the strictly regional success of haggis and bagpipes.

It occurs to me that somebody should eventually say: “All right, all right, enough is enough.  Really.  No more whoopee cushions.” 

None of our political leaders will touch it.  They would rather eviscerate Social Security than mess with April Fool’s Day.  There is no social uprising to quell the tomfoolery and monkeyshines.  No community organizers or neighborhood watch groups to staunch the shenanigans.

I have had a few practical jokes played on me, but I am not a fan.  I think I must give off that crotchety vibe, because lately no one has tried to surprise me with a hand buzzer or tape a ‘kick me’ sign on my back.

I will admit to a weakness here.  It really bothers me to be fooled.  I will instantly lose my sense of humor, my perspective.   I become defensive, or worse, I retaliate.

At the heart of this flaw is ego. It is the unwillingness to appear stupid, or weak.  It is some version of vanity that prevents us from being ‘taken advantage of’.  Something inside me says this is a huge waste of energy.  Something tells me that when you recognize that you are unable to laugh at your own expense, you might need to lighten up.

Associated with this fear of being a fool, is a fear of making a mistake and revealing that foolishness.  For some people this means not taking risks or putting themselves in a position of being potentially embarrassed.  Unfortunately, that also limits new experiences and growth.  “A man learns to skate by staggering about and making a fool of himself. Indeed he progresses in all things by resolutely making a fool of himself.”  George Bernard Shaw

 In order to succumb to being foolish, you must first set aside your fear.  Ironically, the most self-confident people I know are comfortable with revealing their foolish side, because they know it is not a tragedy, just part of the patchwork of living. 

“Every man is a damn fool for at least five minutes every day; wisdom consists in not exceeding the limit.”  Elbert Hubbard

There are probably really wise people who have figured out a 12 step plan to embrace your Inner Fool, but my guess is that is some practical joke in itself.  I have thought about it this morning, and the path to foolishness is easy, and hard.  It is simple to see the way; the challenge is to allow ourselves the experience.

Samuel Butler said: “The greatest pleasure of a dog is that you make a fool of yourself with him and not only will he not scold you, but he will make a fool of himself too.” 

I looked at my dog and decided this was not the direction for me.  He is too formal and reserved, too constrained to act foolish.  He does not like pranks either.  It’s possible I learned this from him.

A better place to begin is to observe children.  Yesterday I watched a little boy try to answer a question that was way beyond his comprehension. Smiling, he dove in with courage and complete lack of self-consciousness.  He expected to get it right, or at least try, and in his good nature, and his trusting innocence, he would allow himself to miss perfection. 

None of us like to be teased or to have our faults ridiculed, but outside of that mean spirited realm there is a healthy friction in having our foolishness revealed. 

In the end, we are all fools.  The only thing that prevents us from showing it to each other is conceit and self-importance.  It is possible that April Fool’s Day serves a purpose in reminding us of who we are, and gives us the chance to practice dealing with it. 

“Ah, well, I am a great and sublime fool. But then I am God's fool, and all His works must be contemplated with respect.”  Mark Twain

Hope this finds you actin a fool,

David

Copyright © 2014 David Smith