Ishmael Ch. 10-13

I felt these last few chapters of Ishmael did a nice job of bringing all Ishmael’s ideas full circle to the narrator, and the narrator finally became fully receptive. From Ishmael describing us as “cultural amnesiacs” to letting the narrator explore his own thoughts, this last segment did a nice job of wrapping things up.

I found it interesting that when the narrator wanted to learn more about the Leavers, Ishmael wouldn’t accept “why not learn about them?” as an answer.

“Why? That’s what I keep coming back to. Why, why, why? Why should your people know what story they’re enacting as they destroy the world?”

“So they can stop enacting it. So they can see that they’re not just blundering as they do what they do. So they can see that they’re involved in a megalomaniac fantasy— a fantasy as insane as the Thousand Year Reich.” (pg. 213)

I think it’s important to want to actively learn and truly understand other viewpoints other than your own because it can strengthen what you already believe. However, more importantly, it can point out flaws and holes in your own beliefs and ways of thinking, leading you to learn and grow and fix things in your own life. Ishmael forcing the narrator to realize this and think this way was an important part of changing the narrator’s perspective, leading him to become more of a critical thinker and less of a student.

Ishmael made a difference by discussing thoughts and concepts about humanity with the narrator, and it changed the narrator’s life. This really speaks to student and teacher relationships in that the only way we’re truly going to change is by talking to each other and learning from each other. Now that the narrator is changed, he can take on a teacher-type roll and educate others. The only way for change to occur is for us all to talk to each other, share experiences, and most importantly, listen.