They represent a innocence about the world that we all had but don't anymore and we find it funny because it reflects (for many of us) how we were at a similar age.
i find it sad , that is what is clearly a quite bright mind has not been able to see beyond the wish forfilling myths of freedom , phillosophy and the other mind games the "great thinker" play .
Its also sad that someone who has had so much " freedom " in his youth has not used a small part of it explored the reality of the world in which he lives .
clearly he has
1. never had to live with out money because he has none or no one to give him some
2. he has never had to work to 12 days to earn enough money for one poor meal
3.he has never hunted rubbish heaps for rags to wear .
4.he has never suffered alone
5.he demands of god his own vision and purpose , with no need to conform ore follow .
is all this ultra harsh ... i think not if one can spend time debating Kant or whoever is this weeks topics flavour , can spend time working out where best to move to to be a music super star , then one can look at the places in this world where it is ugly and mean and people struggle to survive with out the time to consider the bright shinning theroies on the purpose of life ..
who makes the greater contribution to your life ... the man who spend 30 years thinking about the purpose of life then writes a book that needs you to study the last 200 years of thought to be able to understand what it is trying to say ....or the man who comes around with a big truck and takes away your household rubish once a week . ?