On Loving Figures, A Commentary on The Little Prince

(WARNING: SPOILER ALERT)

"Grown-ups love figures"

This is the first part in the book where I had an epiphany. (I’m always cautious in using the word ‘epiphany’ because it might sound like an orgasm, more like, a mental orgasm). I say it in that manner because there are more to come. (Now that’s just wrong)

Anyway... by figures, it means numbers and anything described by a certain measurement. Here’s a certain passage as discussed by the pilot:

“If you were to say to the grown-ups: “I saw a beautiful house made of rosy brick, with geraniums in the windows and doves on the roof,” they would not be able to get any idea of the house at all. You would have to say to them: “I saw a house that cost £4,000.” Then they would exclaim: “Oh, what a pretty house that is!””

We can infer two things, first is the general idea of having a yardstick for almost everything, and second is how a certain price tag affects our opinion of a certain object, place, or even a person.

Admit it, there are times that you’ve given more weight on figures than other essential details. Of course there’s nothing wrong in knowing a thing’s objective value, but even such reasoning is not exempted from the simple wisdom that the Spice Girl’s offer, ‘too much of something is bad enough.’

In the Miss Universe for example, when a contestant is presented, she is presented along with her bust, waist and thigh measurements. The 36-24-36 is even embedded in our everyday lingo, well not mine in particular (haha!) but most straight guys, and anorexic girls. I’m not totally against it, I’m part of it too, but these are proofs of what the pilot is driving at.

The Little Prince and the Baobabs

Adults, not all of course, who are of marrying age would also consider his or her future partner’s paycheck into serious consideration, he or she may see a barcode on his or her partner’s sleeve. Though reasonable, especially for having stability in life as priority, we fail to take into account the importance of concepts that no amount of money can buy.

Some may say that happiness depends on your credit limit, I say different, because we decide what makes us happy. If money makes us happy, then it will. If food makes us happy, then it will. If hearing another person’s voice, enjoying a cup of cocoa during a rainy morning makes us happy, then it will.

If a person puts a price on his happiness, he is either the luckiest person in the world or the saddest, because having a price means knowing what will make him happy, but if he thinks it’s too expensive then it’ll never be within his reach.

It’s not wrong to consider figures; it’s even wise to do so. But letting figures be the major cog in your decision-making is a greatest mistake anyone could make.

Commentary Series Links:
> The Little Prince Book Review
> On Matters of Consequence
> On Talking Like a Grownup
> On Grownups Part 1/2
> On Grownups Part 2/2
> On Visiting Earth
> Quotes from The Little Prince