"Bats have no bankers and they do not drink and cannot be arrested and pay no tax and, in general, bats have it made"
About this Quote
John Berryman's quote captures an interesting reflection on the nature of bats, contrasting them against the complexities and problems dealt with by humans. The quote uses bats as a metaphor to explore styles of liberty, responsibility, and social pressures.
Firstly, the concept that bats have "no lenders" suggests their flexibility from financial obligations. Unlike people, who frequently find themselves entangled in debts, loans, and financial planning, bats live outside this construct. This lack of monetary burden indicates a life devoid of the tension and anxiety related to financial management, symbolizing ultimate liberation and simpleness.
The reference that bats "do not consume" can be viewed as a commentary on human habits and the capacity for dependency or escapism through substances. In stating that bats do not partake in such habits, Berryman may be alluding to their untainted existence, lacking the vices and pitfalls that can complicate human lives.
Even more, the assertion that bats "can not be jailed" highlights their liberty from legal restraints and social laws. Bats operate outside the jurisdiction of human legal systems, unsusceptible to the sanctions and penalties that control human behavior. This additional highlights a sense of autonomy and independence not accessible in human society.
That bats "pay no tax" accentuates another human burden-- the commitment to contribute a portion of earnings to governance. By highlighting bats' exemption from this responsibility, Berryman stresses their detachment from societal structures and the needs they enforce.
In concluding that "bats have it made", Berryman presents the idea that bats, in their existence, experience a kind of paradise or perfect living condition. Free from monetary stress, legal effects, social expectations, and human vices, bats signify pure and unencumbered existence. This reflection, while whimsical, invites readers to consider the complexities of human life and consider what real flexibility may appear like in the absence of social constraints.
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