CITE: Pearce, J. C. Magical Child. Plume. 1980.
SUMMARY
In “The Magical Child,” Joseph Chilton Pearce presents a radical thesis: the human mind is not a static entity but a dynamic process, constantly developing and evolving. He argues that the source of our power is the “magical child” within each of us, a natural creative force that is suppressed by society’s conditioning. Through stories, anecdotes, and scientific research, Pearce explores the way that children’s minds work and the role of play, dreams, and imagination in the development of the brain. He also discusses the impact of culture and society on child development, suggesting that much of what we take for granted as “normal” behavior is in fact an aberration. He argues that modern society often suppresses this sense of wonder through education and other cultural factors, leading to a loss of creativity and a lack of fulfillment in adult life. Pearce argues that if we can reclaim the natural curiosity, wonder, and creativity of childhood, we can tap into a source of energy and insight that can transform our lives and our society.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Pearce argues that the human mind is not a static entity but a dynamic process, constantly developing and evolving.
- The “magical child” is a natural creative force that is suppressed by society’s conditioning.
- Play, dreams, and imagination are important for the development of the brain.
- Society’s conditioning can stunt the natural development of the “magical child.”
- If we can reclaim the natural curiosity, wonder, and creativity of childhood, we can tap into a source of energy and insight that can transform our lives and our society.
- Pearce discusses the impact of culture and society on child development, suggesting that much of what we take for granted as “normal” behavior is in fact an aberration.
- Pearce believes that our society needs to radically re-think its approach to child development in order to unleash the full potential of the “magical child” within all of us.
SELECTED QUOTES
- “The magical child is the child who has not yet learned to inhibit its own wonder and so it experiences every moment in a state of astonished discovery.” (p. 3)
- “The very nature of the magical child is to experience all of life, in all its variety and intensity, without the artificial barriers and inhibitions imposed by adult culture.” (p. 48)
- “The child’s task is to learn, and the adult’s task is to teach. But what happens when the teaching inhibits the learning?” (p. 77)
Also:
- “We can not hope to resolve the serious crises facing us today without re-examining our attitude toward nature, toward the child, and toward ourselves.”
- “The ultimate value of life depends upon awareness and the power of contemplation rather than upon mere survival.”
- “What we think of as our natural behavior in relation to our environment is in fact an aberration.”
- “The major barrier to discovering the shape of the earth, the continents, and the oceans was not ignorance but the illusion of knowledge.”
- “What we are today comes from our thoughts of yesterday, and our present thoughts build our life of tomorrow: Our life is the creation of our mind.”
