But it was pointless, it was stupid; he thought about thoughtless things. If I were a seabird . . . but how could you be a seabird? If you were a seabird your brain would be tiny and stupid and you would love half-rotted fish guts and tweaking the eyes out of little grazing animals; you would know no poetry and you could never appreciate flying as fully as the human on the ground yearning to be you.If you wanted to be a seabird you deserved to be one.
by Iain M. Banks
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The character reflects on the futility of wishing to be something they are not, like a seabird. They contemplate the limitations that come with such a transformation, suggesting that a seabird's simple life and instincts lack the appreciation for deeper experiences, such as poetry and a profound yearning for freedom. The desire to escape one's current reality seems misguided when weighed against the richness of human thought and creativity.

This internal struggle highlights the complexity of human nature and the desire for transcendence. While the seabird may have its own form of freedom in the skies, the narrator argues that true value lies in the human ability to dream, ponder, and feel deeply. Hence, the notion of deserving to become a seabird is questioned, as it implies a loss of human potential and understanding.

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