Jan Nathalia Atendido
HUMALIT C32

PULSE AND PERISH

I have always been interested about the undisclosed issues, wherein Science and Math alone isn’t enough to make the ultimate, indisputable and consistent conclusion. Specifically, the million-dollar question of how every one first came to be. Who put us on this Earth? And if so, does that mean whoever brought us on this planet, can also take us out, immediately out of power in just one snap as well? Our generation today likes to think that we have it all figured out. Some say we were created by a huge explosion, others say that we used to be monkeys. I personally believe that our Creator, a loving God, put us all here. There are many claims that are thought to be close to the actual winning truth. But what if our thoughts to that million-dollar question, were not even inside the game in the first place? The same idea about the constraints of knowledge, and total empowerment can be associated in the short story “Little Brother” by Bruce Holland Rogers.

The story shows a great deal in the value of limited knowledge. For one instance, Peter has no idea that he is a lifeless, ordinary doll. At the start of the story, Peter desires to have a little brother. However, the mother, year after year says that he is not ready. Finally, she introduces Little Brother who comes along with many other gifts. Little Brother, as Peter and the mother knows, can be shut down with a push of a button at the back of his neck. The same way that at the end of the story, due to Peter’s disobedience, he too is shut down. Which therefore, though he does not know it, makes him a lifeless and ordinary doll as well.

Another example of constrained knowledge can be seen through the shutting down of Peter. The shutting down of Peter manifests signs of the bounded understanding and comprehension that Peter has. Prior to