six

from Teach Your Own by John Holt:

Margaret Mead was talking to some Balinese, trying to learn about this strange and very different culture.  at some point she asked about their art.  the Balinese were puzzled by this question.  they didn’t know what she meant by art.  so she talked for a while about art and artists in western cultures.  the Balinese considered this for a while.  then one of them spoke.  “here in  Bali we have no art,” he said. “we do everything as well as we can.”

very little children are like the Balinese.  just about everything they do, they do as well as they can.

except when tired or hungry, or in the grip of passion, pain or fear, they are moved to act almost entirely by curiosity, desire for mastery or competence, and pride in work well done.

do you find this to be true?