Murray, in his thirties, rebel against conventional society and, temporarily unemployed, has care of his twelve-year-old nephew. A social worker comes to discuss taking the boy out of Murray's charge on grounds that he is an unfit guardian. Murray expresses his concern for the boy's future.
From the play "A Thousand Clowns," Herb Gardner, playwright
I've spent a lot of my life with folks who, occasionally, are out of control. Not necessarily an altogether bad thing. Sometimes doing something risky, wild and crazy can have positive results. Dreamers and artists and futurists have moved us, as a species, forward, in all areas of life.
But there is a price to pay when they lose too much control or lose it for too long a time. Fortunately, many of these folks have boring "list makers" like us around to help them get back on track. I'm a planner. I'm dependable. At this late date, I'm not likely to go off the deep end. I'm comfortable with myself.
I would argue with Murray that we are not the dead people. Occasionally, folks like Murray go so far that they can never find their way back - no matter how much we try to help them. Sometimes they end up - literally - dead.
You, my friends, were called to be free people; only do not turn your freedom into licence for your lower nature, but be servants to one another in love.
Galatians 5:1
- "And he started to make lists this year. Lists of everything; subway stops, underwear, what he's gonna do next week...Hey, suppose they put him in with a whole family of list-makers?...he'll learn how to be one of the nice dead people."
From the play "A Thousand Clowns," Herb Gardner, playwright
I've spent a lot of my life with folks who, occasionally, are out of control. Not necessarily an altogether bad thing. Sometimes doing something risky, wild and crazy can have positive results. Dreamers and artists and futurists have moved us, as a species, forward, in all areas of life.
But there is a price to pay when they lose too much control or lose it for too long a time. Fortunately, many of these folks have boring "list makers" like us around to help them get back on track. I'm a planner. I'm dependable. At this late date, I'm not likely to go off the deep end. I'm comfortable with myself.
I would argue with Murray that we are not the dead people. Occasionally, folks like Murray go so far that they can never find their way back - no matter how much we try to help them. Sometimes they end up - literally - dead.
You, my friends, were called to be free people; only do not turn your freedom into licence for your lower nature, but be servants to one another in love.
Galatians 5:1
