Blasphemy
Selin realizes that asking people about their resolution to embrace parenthood is equivalent to engaging in a blasphemous act. She narrates, “If you ever asked why any particular person had had a kid, or what good a particular kid was, people treated it as blasphemy—as if you were saying that they should be dead, or the kid should be dead." Bearing kids is considered a sacred undertaking that every human should strive for. Questioning parenthood is frowned upon and seen as inappropriate. Posing questions on the goals of having kids is interpreted as condemning the kids and their parents.
“Book of all Human Possibilities”
Selin likens the course catalog to a book. She explains, "Svetlana and I were reading the course catalog. It was like the book of all human possibilities." The catalog covers all courses that touch on humans' ordinary and extraordinary experiences. Some of the courses they find in the catalog include science, literature, religion, history, and anthropology, among others. The organization of each of the courses is unique, and it catches Selina's attention.
Artistry
Johannes’s approach in Either/Or is likened to artistry. Selin quotes Kierkegaard: “The extent to which the seducer left the girl with nothing was the very mark of artistry. It meant having the self-control to not get her pregnant or abandon her at the later." Johannes gets engaged to a girl he is not interested in marrying. His mission becomes complete when the girl falls for the seduction. Afterward, Johannes becomes intimate with her and persuades her to dissolve their engagement. The girl is so brainwashed that she cannot tell whether her experience has been an illusion or something real. The girl cannot accuse Johannes of anything because his mental approach is unscrupulous and beyond proof.
