Tolerance. (Patreon)

Ash, on the morning of his tenth birthday, did not want to wear or bring a sweater to school. It was cold outside. I was thrusting the sweater.

Ash: “But I do not want this sweater”

Me: “I know you don’t need it now but you should just put it in your backpack in case it gets colder later and you need it”

Ash: “But I don’t want to even bring it. I want to get good at being cold by not having the sweater. The Greek philosopher Philisen tried to eat piping hot food so that he could not feel heat when he ate anymore”

Me: “You’re talking about building up a tolerance to the cold. That isn’t quite possible. Do you know what tolerance means”

Ash: “No”

…Brendon explains the basics of tolerance while I pack Ash’s lunch….

Me: “….so you see, there are things you can build up a tolerance for, and there are things you just can’t build up a tolerance for. Like the extreme cold.”

Brendon: “Or the extreme heat”

As, after a pause: “Or dying. You cannot build up a tolerance for dying.”

Me and Brendon: …

(He took the sweater. Grumpily)

……..

(Photo of me and Ash in upstate NY, from 2018 by Maria Popova. He was 2.)

Reminder, Ig Nobel is in Boston tonight and all-patron webchat is tomorrow 11:11 EST. All info in last post. https://www.patreon.com/posts/139154367?utm_campaign=postshare_creator