Tag Archives: philosophy story

A Finn-y Friendship 2

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S&F FTest

So.. some of you may recall a conversation with my mom last week, where she dared to admit she wasn’t the biggest fan of Finn…

As a result of this catastrophic news, investigation has begun into Finn’s psyche.  In this week’s post, we continue to investigate the raison d’etre of Finn – is he just a punk?  Or is he a punk with a history?

The plot thickens.  🙂

P.S. I’m playing around a bit with format/sizing, so please let me know if things look wonky on your end.  Also, thinking of putting up some pages of a larger Simon & Finn story in pending posts if there is appetite for that!

Ernie & The Forest of Envy

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Once upon a time, there lived a small rotund creature named Ernie.

Ernie was a happy sort of chap.

He liked meandering through his domain, chatting with friends here and there.

One day though, Ernie happened upon a patch of forest he had never seen before.

Ernie decided to explore further, completely ignoring all childhood tales of woe associated with dark woods.

As he entered, he passed small warning signs that are sometimes referred to as foreshadowing.

Yep, he pretty much blithely sailed on through many such warning signs..

Ernie wasn’t always the most astute observer, especially when he was having a good time.

As he sauntered on, Ernie didn’t really notice that the light was getting dimmer and that he was slowly forgetting his way back home.

All of a sudden, Ernie stumbled upon something he found highly unusual – a person with a crown!

Ernie watched, fascinated!  He had never seen a crown before – and, oh – how it gleamed..Ernie found himself possessed by a strange yearning – never had he seen anything so enchanting..

As he thought back to his life, it seemed but pale and ridiculous compared to the beauty of the creature’s crown.

Ernie grew obsessed by the idea of the golden crown!  He had to have it!

What Ernie didn’t know that he had inadvertently stumbled into the Forest of Envy, which blinded the souls of all who entered, filling them with insatiable longing for the fortunes of others.

All he could think about was the crown – the precious crown.

By night he would lie awake in the forest, ruminating obsessively about the crown.

By day, he would watch the crowned one, a dark and hulking shadow.Needless to say, Ernie grew increasingly unhappy and dissatisfied.

One day though, Ernie noticed something strange.The crowned one was staring fixedly at another in the distance – one with a crown.. and a sceptre!

As Ernie watched, he could almost see a transformation take place in the crowned one…

Ernie wanted to yell – what are you so unhappy about, you at least have a crown!

All of a sudden Ernie was struck by a realization.

And with that, Ernie’s heart grew large towards the crowned one.

With those single words, the clear rays of light came shining through the Forest of Envy.

And with that, Ernie decided it was time to go home and strolled away, leaving the changed forest behind.

Years later, when asked about his time in the Forest of Envy, Ernie was fond of expounding the wisdom of Bertrand Russell, and would simply say:“To find the right road out of this despair civilized man must enlarge his heart as he has enlarged his mind. He must learn to transcend self, and in so doing to acquire the freedom of the Universe.” – Bertrand Russell

For more Ernie stories click here!

Ernie and The Secret of Plato’s Cave

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A long time ago in a galaxy sort of near, lived a small rotund creature named Ernie.

Ernie was a happy type of chap.

He would meander through his domain…

… channeling Mr. Rogers with all his friends.

One day though, Ernie came across a dark opening in his world..

Ernie drew closer…

.. and closer …

… and close-

How rude!

Anyway, Ernie finally plucked up the courage to go inside the cave…

Where he witnessed a strange sight!  He saw others of his kind, shackled, facing a blank wall of flickering light.

Ernie noticed with curiosity that they stared fixedly at the shadows cast on the wall..

… and muttered darkly amongst themselves about the images they were seeing.

As Ernie looked on, the strange ones bickered about their world..

… which led Ernie to be a little immature..

Over time though, Ernie started to find it less funny and even a little sad, for it seemed that this world of shadows was all they knew –

Ernie decided it was time for a change!

Little did he know at the time, but as it turns out Ernie had accidentally stumbled across his world’s version of Plato’s Cave.

Ernie was glad to finally leave the cave.... but couldn’t help but muse upon what he had seen.

Years later when asked about his experience with the cave-dwellers, Ernie would smile enigmatically and pronounce:

“Everyone has a cave or den of his own, which refracts and discolours the light of nature…” – Sir Francis Bacon

For more Ernie stories click here!

The Importance of Being Ernie-est

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Once upon a time there lived a small rotund creature named Ernie.

Ernie was a fairly simple soul, and he lived a peaceful and quiet life…

..enjoying many rich friendships along the way.

One day though, Ernie received a letter!

“Dear Ernie”, it read. “We have noticed your interpersonal skills and would like to invite you to join our prestigious organization: the Senate, or the house of sober second thought.”

Ernie felt a rush of pride!  Nobody had ever asked him to be ‘a somebody’ before.

He also felt the stirrings of other strange and new emotions.. perhaps a touch of vanity.. and a small, slight glimmer of greed.

These created some changes in Ernie – he started to stand a little straighter…

.. walk with a hint of a swagger…

.. and found his previous pursuits not quite apropos to his new found status.

Ernie took to curling his tuft of hair into little ringlets…

… and traveling by litter so as to not sully his person with the common folk.

Having a gift for oration, Ernie rose quickly in his new senate position…

.. and soon found himself in high demand…

…with multiple social engagements and societal responsibilities.

Anyway, time passed as it always does…

…and Ernie started to find himself wearying of all the demands on him.

He found himself longing for more simple times..

…and thinking of his old friend Rosebud the bird.

One night Ernie bolted awake: he had an epiphany!He realized that he had given – nay – thrown!  to others freely the only thing he truly had in life – his time!

At that moment, Ernie resolved: no more.  And with that, his spirit rejoiced (and his hair uncurled).

He wasted no more time in saying goodbye to the gilded cage that his ambition, greed, and vanity had created, and ran off into the forest…

.. and lived peacefully – and contentedly – ever after.

Later, when asked about his time in the Senate, Ernie was fond of quoting Seneca, and would say with a small smile: “Sir, when you see a man repeatedly wearing the robe of office, or one whose name is often spoken in the Forum, do not envy him: these things are won at the cost of life.  In order that one year may be dated from their names they will waste all their own years.”

For more Ernie stories click here!