Page 59 - Big Idea

The Big Idea – Act 3

CLOWN 1: You mean they’d kick us out just for making a joke
about boulders and trees?

RIVAL 1: Undoubtedly.

CLOWN 2: I fail to see the humor in that.

CLOWN 1: I’d rather have the chief throw rocks at me than have
the whole group frown when I poke fun at somebody.

RIVAL 1: Then you do get my point: you’re better off in the old
regime. Paradoxically, you have more freedom under tyranny.

CLOWN 2: Why, that’s no contradiction at all, is it?

CLOWN 1: Of course not! It’s only fair, if you can have more
tyranny under freedom.

CLOWN 2: So why are we standing around, waiting for orders to
build a wall around our funny-bones? Let’s get out of here.

CLOWN 1: Well, lead on, then: the only way I know out of here is
down the cliff and into the river.

CLOWN 2: Aha! At last you admit I know more than you do.

CLOWN 1: I admit no such thing. You know less in general, but in
this particular you know more.

CLOWN 2: Rubbish! Generalities aren’t knowledge; particularities
are. Unless you can come up with two specific things you know that I
don’t know, then you certainly don’t know more than I do.

RIVAL 1: Ah, now, my friends, is it necessary—

CLOWN 1: Stay out of this, meathead. All right. Here are two very
specific things you don’t know. First, you don’t know that I know
more than you do; and, second, you don’t know that you don’t know
it.

RIVAL 2: Boss, are you going to let him talk to you like that?

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