"Feedback" - читать интересную книгу автора (Maclean Katherine)

Mr. Dunner turned to the blackboard and wrote Уsameness.Ф

УHere is the sameness of mass production, and human equality, and shared tastes and dress and entertainment, and basic education equalized at a high level, and forgotten prejudices, and the blending of minorities, and all the other good things of democracy. The sameness of almost everybody doing the same thing at once. Some of the different ones who are left notice their difference and feel left out and alone. They try to be more like the others.Ф He curved a chalk arrow, and wrote Уconformity.Ф Johnny, still standing, noticed that Mr. Dunner was nervous, too. The chalk line wavered.

The arrow curved through УconformityФ and back to the first word in a swift circle. УAnd then those who are left feel more conspicuous and lonesome than ever. People stare and talk about them. So they try to be more like the others. And then everybody is so much like everybody else that even a very tiny necessary difference looks peculiar and wrong. The unknown and unfamiliar is feared or hated. All differences, becoming infrequent, look increasingly strange and unfamiliar, and shocking, and hateful. Those who want to be different hide themselves and pretend to be like the others.Ф

He moved the chalk in swift strokes. The thickening circle of arrows passed through the words: sameness, conformity, sameness, conformity, samenessЕ

He stepped back and printed in the middle of the circle, very neatly, УSTASIS.Ф

He turned back to the class, smiling faintly. УThey are trapped. And they donТt know what has happened to them.Ф

He turned back to the blackboard and drew another circle thoughtfully. This one wavered much more. УThese are feedback circles. All positive feedbacks are dangerous. Not just man but other social animals have an instinct to follow, and can fall into the trap. Even the lowly tent caterpillars are in danger from it, for they crawl after each other in single file, and if the leader of a line happens to turn back and find before him the end of his own line, he will follow it, and the circle of caterpillars will keep crawling around and around, growing hungry and exhausted, following each other until they die.Ф

Johnny licked his lips nervously, wishing Mr. Dunner would let him sit down.

Miraculously the teacherТs eyes met his.

УI stand up,Ф said Mr. Dunner softly to him alone. УIf everyone else went sledding, could you go skating alone, all by yourself?Ф

He could see that it was a real question: Mr. Dunner honestly wanted him to answer, as if he were an equal. Johnny nodded.

УIt would take courage, wouldnТt it? Sit down, Johnny.Ф

Johnny sat down, liking the tall shy bony teacher more than ever. He was irritably aware of the stares and snickers of the others around him. As if heТd done something wrong! What did they think they were snickering at anyhow!

He leaned both elbows on the desk and looked at the tcacher as if he were concentrating on the lecture.

The bell rang.

УClass dismissed,Ф called Mr. Dunner unnecessarily and helplessly over the din of slamming desk tops and shouts as everybody rushed for the door.

Glancing back, Johnny saw the teacher still standing before the blackboard. Beside him the projected image of LeonardoТs painting glowed dimly, forgotten, on the screen.

At his locker, Johnny slipped his arms into his jacket and grabbed his cap angrily. Why did they have to scare Leonardo? Grownups! People acted crazy!

Outside they were shouting, УYeaaa-ahh yeaaa-ahh! Charlie put his cap on backward! Charlie put his cap on backward!Ф Charlie, one of his best pals, stood miserably pretending not to notice. His cap was frontward. He must have put it right as soon as they had started to call.

Johnny hunched his shoulders and walked through the ring as if he had not seen it, and it broke up unconcernedly in his wake into the scattering and clusters of kids going home. Johnny did not wait to get into a group. Stupid, they were all stupid! He wished he could have thought of something to tell them.

At home, stuffing down a sandwich in the kitchen, he came to a conclusion. УMother, does everyone have to be like everyone else? Why canТt they be different?Ф

ItТs started again, she thought. I canТt let Johnny get that way.

Aloud she said, УNo, dear, everyone can be as different as they like. This is a free country, a democracy.Ф

УThen can Charlie wear his cap backward?Ф

It was an insane concept. She was tempted to laugh. УNo, dear. If he did, he would be locked up.Ф