The family’s indifference to convention came naturally and unselfconsciously. It was never, Look how interesting we are, we don’t observe any of the rituals that define so many American lives. “It’s not like they said, ‘Gifts are dumb,’ ” recalled Sam. “They never tried to convince us about gifts. It didn’t happen like that.”
I was fascinated by his upbringing and the effect it had on how he saw the world. He grew up in a world without meaning: nothing was celebrated, no traditions, no indication of what was important or not. He was hugely into utilitarianism in the 7th grade...this seemed to contribute to what almost seemed like the making of a "sociopath for good" (my term). He was altruistic but strictly from a logical standpoint. If it had been utilitarian and he had blood lust, he could've been a serial killer. I was struck by this and, ironically, felt empathy for him...something he could never do at all.
