Cookie monster first plans to control his impulses, but then he began seeing what he wanted to see (things as only cookies-sheriff's star, stop sight-signs of authority that ensure that the community runs smoothly). Why didn't he read the stop sign and think, "I should STOP myself from eating that stop-sign-shaped cookie"? It goes back to interpretations and what those interpretations mean for an individual in a community.
All interpretations are valuable, but they are not necessarily deserving of the same value. Sometimes it's more conducive to the community that an individual's interpretation match another individuals interpretation; it ensures that the right morals and ideals are preserved. Cookie Monster worked hard to make such delicious cookies to bring to the cookie contest. He used his talents in an efficient way, creating a beautiful product that could be shared, but then he lost them, or rather self-destructed them, and could no longer contribute his best to society. Cookie Monster, and those that interpret meanings for themselves outside the context of a community, may find themselves with no cookies left at the end of the day. As teachers, it is our job to ensure that students think for themselves but still ultimately arrive at the most conducive interpretations of texts so that meaning does not get lost and society still functions on proper morals.
