A topic discussed in class sparked
my intrigue about the way that I deal with unfavorable discoveries. This topic
transpires as the belief that one’s willingness to take responsibility for
distressing information contributes to their integrity. I have come to
understand that there remains a line between behaving ignorantly and
realistically when faced with the obstacle of taking responsibility. These
ideals are represented in both Roald Dahl’s writing and in my life. Dahl
exhibits a scenario in his short story, “The Sound Machine,” that poses the
necessity for rational thinking. An inventor named Klausner adamantly experimented
with a machine that could hear an undetectable “world of sound” (29). However,
the sounds that surfaced with his invention opened an additional realm of
problems. After hearing the pain experienced by roses and a tree, he urged the
skeptical Dr. Scott to listen to the noises as well. Upon using the device, the
Doctor reacted strangely by exclaiming not so convincingly that he didn’t hear
anything. By indirectly characterizing him as anxious, Dahl implies that he
did, in fact hear the noises also heard by Klausner. This complication surfaces
the question: Why would one lie about such an instance? I believe that this
reaction, although selfish, transpires as natural for many people. It stems
from the widely held belief that “ignorance is bliss,” and signifies the
previously mentioned line between ignorance and realism. Dr. Scott foresaw the
problems that society would face if they were exposed to the unforgiving sound
machine. In this particular situation, it proved beneficial to behave
realistically. Thus, by denying it’s ability (and not taking responsibility) to
detect such horrible noises, he avoided the possibility for change in society.
Conversely, in reality, I faced a similar situation quite, but on a smaller
scale. When I first saw the Kony video, I became outraged at the fact that so
many children were falling victim to one horrible, selfish man. This is where
the test of my integrity came into play. I might have shed a tear or two, but
then I proceeded with my normal life. To avoid feeling sad, I did not invest
any money or effort into the cause. Basically, to evade worrying myself further
over a cause that I convinced myself I could not effectively contribute to, I did
not take responsibility. Although my lack of taking responsibility differs from
Dr. Scott’s, each reaction represents the spectrum of ignorance to realism. Reading
Dahl’s story opened my eyes to the consequences of remaining ignorant, but also
instilled on me the importance of remaining realistic in occasional
circumstances like the one depicted in his work.
