A fisherman skilled in music took his flute and his nets to the seashore. Standing on a projecting rock, he played several tunes in the hope that the fish, attracted by his melody, would of their own accord dance into his net, which he had placed below. At last, having long waited in vain, he laid aside his flute, and casting his net into the sea, made an excellent haul of fish. When he saw them leaping about in the net upon the rock he said: "O you most perverse creatures, when I piped you would not dance, but now that I have ceased you do so merrily."
Does anybody know this fisherman? That´s someone who thinks everybody around should be totally impressed by his talents, who doesn´t understand people not reacting on his efforts, who is convinced that all the world is talking in his language while nobody understands him. Yes, we know some of this species. But tell me if you know someone, sensible enough for realizing his inappropriate social intercourse, and more seldom who consequently changes his behaviour. Maybe there are some. But is there anyone who would curse at his audience when they finally will follow him?
ReplyDeleteWhat´s about heavy metal rockers and their masochistic audience (as to be seen on the post´s photo)?
I think the fisherman ist just able to see things in a positive way. That ist a beautiful gift that should be spread even more ...
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful story.
ReplyDelete@Tanja Schneider
I like very much your benevolent view. To me this fisherman seems to have a sane and amusing sense of (self)irony. He only pretended to believe the fish really would dance into his net. Just to get a fabulous afternoon even more fabulous.
But the story is so great just because one can read it in various ways.
@cs
I am afraid, I know a fisherman like the one you mean, or at least somewhat similar. Actually there are even people who curse or laugh at those who give credit to them exactly for what they once hoped to get credit for and still desire to get credit for. Very disappointing. I remember a schoolmate, who 40 years ago, in a moment of mysterious francness, told me, one had "always to be one step ahead" in front of other peolpe. For some decades he was busy in organizing concerts of any kind of alternative music, always anxious to stimulate, educate, develop the taste and conscience of the audience in a little area in Germany. A kind of rather innocent, idealistic, pedagogic mission; egoish, but not without a certain sincere sense of responsability.
But when his efforts finally were officially recognized by the newspaper "tageszeitung", he mocked about the "bullshit" of this acknoledgement. He had certainly this mission (why not?). He wrote by himself even the critique of the concerts in the local newspaper! (and stated from time to time he had "fundamentally a mental reservation" against this practice...). He wanted to be followed (who does not want to be followed?), but he didn't want to be considered a missionar, and more than this, I fear, he wanted to remain one step beyond.