Page 9 - The Gluckman Occasonal Number Nine

Ben did not concur. He said, “No, I think the chances are the same
in both cases. Even if the first one crosses safely, he does not know
more than the second: the last person the bridge could possibly
support may have crossed it just before we got here. Therefore, he
faced the same odds we do.” Abe considered the situation a while
longer, and conceded that Ben was right. They turned around and
went back the way they came.
Moral: It is no better being a leader than a follower.

Parafable of the Rock

Mug, having become enlightened, attempted to instruct fellow-
caveman Slug, in the peaceful use of rocks. Slug employed them only
to bash in his enemies’ heads. Mug finally convinced him that they
are multi-purpose; for example, they can be transformed into
building material instead of stone clubs. Mug left Slug alone to
ponder this revelation. Mug returned the next day to find Slug busily
building something with rocks. Is it a house, asked Mug, or a shrine,
or a corral for animals to be eaten later? No, explained Slug patiently;
it is a wall, behind which I can deploy my new weapon, the rock that
is thrown.
Moral: A little knowledge is dangerous.

Parafable of the Elephants

Three elephants came upon a blind man begging at the side of the
road. The first elephant kicked the blind man, and thought, “This
does nothing for my pedicure.” The second plucked at his face with
its trunk, and thought, “I can’t find a thing worth eating.” The third
poked its tusks into him, and thought, “Certainly not a worthy
opponent.” So the pachyderm trio moved on, as ignorant of what it
was they had left half-dead as the blind man was of what had half-
killed him.
Moral: Anonymity abets casual violence.

Parafable of the Marshmallows

“Being cold and white and pasty is boring,” said the marshmallow to
its companions. “Let’s go somewhere warm and toasty and get a nice
golden tan.” They found an all-expenses-paid holiday trip to a very
subtropical region. The only means of travel was on a skewer, but