Vn88.1 9/8/77
Over the past few weeks, Miriam has spoken, in the context of
repressing her desire for things she can’t have, of having “an eraser
mind.” When asked to explain what she meant, Miriam conveyed the
image of ideas written on a tablet and subject to erasure.
As supper drew to a close this evening, Miriam cited the existence
of another mind (I believe, but am far from certain, that we were dis-
cussing future meals and Miriam noted her “liver-hating mind”). Remarking
my surprise at her thought of having an ‘eraser mind’ and another kind
as well, I inquired if she thought she had any further “minds.” The
topic lay unheeded for a short while. I made some coffee and sat down
away from the table.
The children picked up the theme as a game between themselves.
Miriam: “I know another mind I have, a “remembering mind”. . . and another,
a “stay-away-from-sharks mind”.” Robby asked if she had a “talking
mind.” Miriam responded that of course she did, it had a voice box in
it. These seemed to exhaust her invention for the moment, so Robby
proceeded: “You must also have a learning mind, or all your other minds
would be empty.” Miriam agreed, going further to claim that her “learn-
ing mind” was the biggest one of all. Robby continued further that he
had an “electric mind” whose function was the manufacture of electricity,
“for that’s what everything else runs on.” In response to Miriam’s
objection that she had no wires inside, Robby pointed to a wall socket
and explained that the electric energy was carried through the bones to
outlets, such as the one in the wall, where it was made available for
local distribution.
At my inquiry of where they had picked up such unusual notions,
Miriam said, “It’s all in your brain.” When pushed further with the
question of whether mind and brain were the same, she clarified thus:
“Actually, it’s all in your everything mind.”
Finally the joking grew stale. On my inquiring, pen in hand, what
was that second mind she had cited, Miriam remarked, “Daddy, if this
shows up in your thesis, I will be mad at you.”
Relevance
This vignette cites some jocular ways Robby and Miriam discuss
what goes on in their minds. Robby’s relative advancement can be seen
in his concern with a “learning mind” which develops the contents of
others. Though Miriam’s references are not ‘constructive’ they indicate
reflexivity.