Cutting the Rope

1. Cutting the Rope p.212

2. To understand why Leunig thinks it’s important to “cut the rope” and be free. Goal:

3. Ignoring societal expectations. To stop being influenced by other’s perceptions of reality. • Connects toideal: In order to be free, we must define reality in our own terms What is cutting the rope?

4. Rehabilitation- ‘to restore to normal health.’ • The ‘rehab’ centres that pop stars like Britney get sent to are not what Leunig would consider places of rehabilitation. • They in fact only pressure people to conform into the social norms of our society: “her minders seem just as determined to get a new rope around Britney’s neck and lead her into ‘rehab’.”

5. Crazy or winning? • Is he crazy? Or is it the society that we view as normal that has pushed him to this place?

6. “Zorba the Greek wisely said, ‘A man needs a little madness, or else he never dares cut the rope and be free’.” • “we need at least a sweet little tincture of madness…if we don’t…it will certainly be provided by fate in due course, in a size that may be far too big for us” (if we don’t allow ourselves to be our natural, peculiar selves, we will go too crazy trying to be “normal”) Madness – a way to cut the rope

7. “a man needs a little gang-gang cockatoo or he will never dare cut the rope and be free” • Leunig views nature as the real place for rehabilitation. His home, a small place out in the country; ngurra (aboriginal for country), is where he finds peace and his true self. • People may view him as being “out of touch with the human condition” here p.216 but he maintains that he’s not in fantasy, he’sin rehab.And he believes “the entire world is longing for respite and healing” Nature – a way to cut the rope

8. Our obsession with being ‘attractive’ has led to our world becoming extremely materialistic. This is why Leunig values nature as a way of escaping from this insanity, and as a reminder to value what we have around us: the land, other people and our true selves.

9. How a drought can alter our reality:- “a kind of letting-goand a brokenness. You let go of many things: garden plants, various hopes about lifeitself, and most of all, your remnant and pathetically human notions of normality and perfection” Welcome to our Drought... P.1-6

10. The reality we are faced with in the media is that of a “brutal and crazy world” so to relieve us off this harsh fact instead we read celebrity gossip and failed boob jobs. • This is to prevent us from being “troubled... negative or unhappy” which would make us not very “fun at a party”. This would be unattractive.

11. Leunig seems to be suggesting that this acceptance of the world as it is (cruel, unforgiving, inequitable) is in fact the insane thing. • Even a Buddhist once said to him that ‘“it’s just what is”- the general point that to rage against a brutal, crazy world would be futile.’

12. It is pointless to try to improve the world It is morally wrong to simply accept cruelty and injustices in this world ----------------------------------------------------------------------Wherever you move, be prepared to justify where you are standing. What do you think?

13. Questions: • Do you think we have a moral responsibility to try and improve our world, even if the majority seem to see it as a futile pursuit? • Is it okay to change channels or to stop listening when the news is too confronting? (How could we connect this to Leunig’s ideas in ‘Blood, Guts, Violence and Death’?)

14. Concept Map • Draw a diagram that shows how the ideas in these essays are connected: • Hello, Welcome to our Drought • Thou Shalt be Attractive • Blood, Guts, Violence and Death • Mania Posing as Passion • Cutting the Rope

15. Why does Leunig think it’s important to “cut the rope” and be free? Your understanding: /4 Return to Learning Goal: