I would describe the arc of the life of Farnsworth’s monkey as the arc of every week in a graduate student’s life. It’s not hedonism — it’s trying to put a dent in the hat.

Cortazar once wrote, “Why is the intellect, like a scorpion, compelled to sting itself?”

Now let us pray — pray for Mojo.

Have you ever seen the episode of Futurama in which Prof. Farnsworth has a monkey who wears a hat that makes him hyperintelligent, and then, of course, he becomes depressed and tries to get rid of the hat, and when he does he is just a regular monkey, and then, when the hat is returned to him, it is damaged and he is less smart and more happy and decides to go to business school?

At least neuroses often lead to interesting writing (and personalities).