PAPER MAN III

Now, watch this, because this is where it happens. This is the trick Paper Man pulls without knowing he pulls it —He's not that smart, he's actually kind of stupid, the way a reflection in a mirror is stupid. The trick is, instead of us saying, "Hey, Paper Man, there is no "them" you knucklehead," and then laughing at him. We say, "Yes, we are a "them" and we don't like it. We don't want to feel like a "them" Mr. Paper Man and you're making us feel like a "them." We demand rights for us "thems." There. Did you see it? Right there? Even though there is just "us," we let Paper Man say there is a "them" and we agreed! We even said we were a "them." —Church people sometimes say they are a "them," and church people, of all people, should know better. Even though Paper Man doesn't exist, by saying there is a "them," we've said there is a Paper Man, that he's the "us." But it isn't true! Don't you see, it isn't true! If Paper Man isn't an "us," we can't be a "them." Do you see? The louder we jump up and down and shout and scream saying, "Hey, listen to us "thems," we demand to be heard, we demand to be part of Paper Man too." the more we make Paper Man look real. Do you see how silly it is? To want to be part of something that doesn't really exist? It doesn't happen just to church people. Remember, no one is Paper Man, so everyone, in some way feels like they aren't Paper Man, they feel like a "them." Everyone, in some way feels like a "them." The second we agree and call ourselves a "them" and demand rights and priviledges and a "voice" because we are a them, we make Paper Man real. The more "thems" there are the more real Paper Man becomes. Like pencil marks around the outside of a shape. You don't draw the shape, you draw pencil marks in the space around the shape, and where the pencil marks stop, makes the shape. Without the pencil marks of "them" outside of Paper Man, he doesn't exist. Every time we agree we're a "them" we help draw Paper Man. The more real Paper Man becomes, the more we feel like a them, which makes more marks around Paper Man, which makes him more real, which makes us feel more like a "them," which makes more marks around Paper Man, which makes him more real, which makes us feel more like a "them," which makes more marks around Paper Man… well, you get the idea.

You know what would be sad? It would be sad if we started liking Paper Man more than real people. You know, the way we sometimes like Disneyland more than real life. But, what if we started preferring Disneyland to real life all the time? Wouldn't that be sad? Paper Man is safe and sterile. We can always control him because he doesn’t exist, someone makes him. He is thin and flat. But he is easy, like candyfloss is easy, only you'll die if all you have is candyfloss.

Real people aren't safe, they are messy. We can't control people, because they are themselves, but at the same time they are part of us. Real people are deep and savory. Real people are hard work, like a big feast. But it's worth it, isn't it? Real people are what we need to be alive. I hope I expect people to be real people. I hope I don't expect them to be Paper Man. Maybe I'm so used to the fake thing that the real thing just upsets me. Maybe I think messy real people are some kind of exception to the Paper Man rule, and they should clean themselves up and be safer and more antiseptic. That would be really sad. Paper Man isn't the way things are, messy people are the way things are. I hope I still know that.