Jump to content
This Site Uses Cookies. If You Want to Disable Cookies, Please See Your Browser Documentation. ×

Sign of the times?


Recommended Posts

It's not really surprising, some of these things, except things like really thinking 'Martin Luther King freed the slaves' (because that's also not entirely untrue, but it's not the sense in which there is the common knowledge). One of the places where you find this out is in the area of current students--undergrad, grad, and also even professors--in theory and philosophy: They know far more than most on this board about all the classical and modern philosophers, but few would know who Nijinsky was, and really only a few Nureyev, and only the New York ones would know of Farrell and Balanchine and Graham. And yet they know Irigaray and they know Goodchild and they know Hardt & Negri and they know Badiou, and they also usually know the same major literary people that people at BT are aware of. They usually do know the great classical composers--which proves the much greater mobility of music than dance, due to mechanical reproduction: there's a sense in which CD's and records are more 'like music' than videos and DVD's of ballet are 'like dance'. Dance you really need to see live, or at least you need to see a good bit of it live.

Point being that many people interested in classical philosophy and literature, and occasionally music, will follow the more popular trends when it comes to culture--and this goes for music too, the classical philosophy or literature student almost always knows much more about pop music and everything new in those realms. they do keep up with all television and movies, no matter how this goes against the grain of all their readings of Hegel, Aristotle, Heraclitus, Nietzsche, Fuller, Sartre, Derrida, Deleuze, you name it--they want to go to Goth clubs and they want to listen to Noise music. There's a weird sense in which the classical philosophers are not identified with aristocracy or ruling class esthetics, and there is a great sense that classical music is (although with the exceptions I've noted) and classical ballet is hardly even given a nod, it's considered so elitist.

Link to comment
As for knowing and understanding the past. It is inexcusable NOT to know our heritage.

Hi ngitanjali. I think it's tragic not to know one's heritage: "the unexamined" [among other things, uncontextualized] "life is not worth living." But each generation learns from its elders, and if your generation doesn't know and understand, and doesn't want to know and understand, it's primarily our fault.

Link to comment
As for knowing and understanding the past. It is inexcusable NOT to know our heritage.

Hi ngitanjali. I think it's tragic not to know one's heritage: "the unexamined" [among other things, uncontextualized] "life is not worth living." But each generation learns from its elders, and if your generation doesn't know and understand, and doesn't want to know and understand, it's primarily our fault.

I see your point, and I thank you for addressing that, however, WE, of the new generation, need to stop saying it's the fault of "parents, education, our dogs" and start seeing what we can do to change our lack of knowledge. Perhaps the past generation contributes, perhaps (ok, most certainly) the educational systems contribute, but at some point, some accountability needs to be taken. It's like when I see people walk past a library, talking about how they SHOULD read more, but then blithely continue on their way. Yes, some people are ignorant of their ignorance, but some are just too lazy to take a stance. Because this is my generation, perhaps I feel more like blaming ourselves than blaming others. I really am sorry for what our generation is, sometimes it's laughable, and sometimes it's sickening. Below, I have something that might just give you hope, for it has for me :)

To reference my friends again, those who are like me, I got back from another party where we spoke of the different countries that have been formed since 2000 and those that have managed to stay democratic. I brought up Ukrainian politics, a friend spoke of Beethoven's lesser known works, and someone's mother engaged all of us interesting philosophical topics. I used to be afraid that my science loving friends (we all are majoing in Biochem and physics) wouldn't want to discuss the "arts", and vice versa, but we all had a lovely time discussing each topic and learning from each other. What was more, it wasn't just my generation, a 10 year old showed up, as did some parents. A truly remarkable gathering.

Thanks for all these responses, I honestly thought I was one of a very select group of people alarmed at the degeneration of our minds. Honestly, when did Harry Potter (though a lovely series) become more substantial than David Copperfield?

Link to comment
So what does it mean when you're 25 and think that about your own generation?

Hans, you sound like me at 25. I've just turned 60 -- time for me to bring out the :) icon -- and with each new decade I entered, I felt less and less knowledgeable.

Surrounded by amazingly intelligent family and friends, I also hobknob with those who haven't got much of a clue about anything except the weather and the things they personally experience. Watching Jeopardy, I am awed by the smarts of people of all generations, as well as their capacity for instant recall. Particularly gratifying is when the "ballet" category gets not only addressed (it's usually left for last when it appears) but is run through error-free. I marvel at those who can complete the Sunday New York Times puzzle in 10 minutes or less (online). It takes me at least two hours (on paper, in pen, such a pleasurable activity!) and sometimes much longer.

People through the ages have been divided by those who love history and the minutiae of it and those who know no more than they knew the day before. It's what folks have done to better the lives of others that counts the most, in my opinion. Some of those with no world knowledge, to play devil's advocate, have done far more than I, using the skill(s) they have, even it's only one simple trait (compassion-driven help to the homeless), craft (knitting hats for preemies), or trade (carpentry for Habitats of Humanity).

I wish I were more tolerant of everyone's spelling and grammatical errors and general lack of knowledge in subjects in which I am well-versed. Don't we all hate the know-it-all who is not at all endearing despite his or her scholarship? It takes too much effort to be a good curmudgeon! I, too, was screaming "Nijinsky! Nijinsky!" at the TV screen the other day, followed by some of this :helpsmilie: when no one rang in.

Link to comment
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...