I would love your input on any or all of these discussion topics:
1. Is the world on the verge of a global depression, or a new awakening?
2. Does our love of luxury inevitably erode the virtues of our Founding?
3. Has Western culture exaggerated the importance of liberal learning?
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Salon
I would love your input on any or all of these discussion topics:
1. Is the world on the verge of a global depression, or a new awakening?
2. Does our love of luxury inevitably erode the virtues of our Founding?
3. Has Western culture exaggerated the importance of liberal learning?
1. Is the world on the verge of a global depression, or a new awakening?
2. Does our love of luxury inevitably erode the virtues of our Founding?
3. Has Western culture exaggerated the importance of liberal learning?
3 comments:
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Ginger said...
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First thoughts:
1. I want to say the latter is where we are headed, but I really do think this is an ageist question. The older generation says depression. The younger, awakening.
2. Yes. Although, I have to wonder what exactly is meant by our founding. Puritainism? The Founding Fathers? Either way, I say yes. In general luxury erodes virtue.. unless we are in a utopia and everyone in the universe can eat. It's wasteful otherwise. But then, where does one begin having "luxuries"? House? Car? Getting your nails done? Hair color? Owning 20 pairs of panties? Being able to buy the good vodka?
What?
3. I had to look up liberal learning to make certain I knew what it meant. I think it means learning by focusing on the individual - as in bettering oneself so that one can co-exist with oneself, others, and the universe. The opposite, I think, is indoctrination. Instead of questioning, one is given an answer without thinking about whether or not it is a good or "right" answer. My answer to the question is maybe. I think liberal learning is essential and important because it's what keeps ideas fresh and innovative, but at the same time it allows for a certain amount of lethargy. Is it "exaggerated"? Hmmm. Odd word choice. Emphasized?
Maybe by exaggerated we mean we don't do enough of it? Like we are boastful about our liberal learning leanings in this nation, but really we are more about indoctrination? In Texas, probably.
Someone Help. -
February 6, 2009 at 4:27 PM
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Christine said...
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I've waited so long now that I'm probably supposed to be more insightful than I'm going to be. But, whatevs.
1. I like the way that you put it. I think the answer is both. It's just a roller coaster ride, and if we hang on we'll go up the hill and then back down over and over again. Besides, who's to say you can't have both at the same time, depending on who you are, where you are, and whether you're talking about money or art?
2. Hm. I kid of disagree with the premise that we have a love of luxury. Who's "we"? I gather from the rest of the question that it means Americans, but I'm not particularly comfortable making generalizations about 300,000,000 people. Besides, I don't think we have a love of luxury so much as we have a love of acceptance and a sense of success, though it is sad that our culture does seem to value material espressions of those things. And you bring up a REALLY good point regarding the definition of luxury.
3. I don't get this question. And I think I'm getting sick so I'm not going to hurt my brain trying to hard to understand. Let me just say that I don't see how a culture finding any kind of education important could ever be a bad thing. I did say education, not indoctrination, because you make a good point that those a really different things.
P.S. I see you've taken down your "On Being Patriotic" post, which is a bummer because I thought it was really interesting. I printed it out so I could write out a response to it... so... -
February 11, 2009 at 6:17 PM
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Christine said...
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Here's my comment about your cultural post.
You asked the question, what is American culture? That's a tough question to answer. I like how at the end of your post you say, "I hope that Americans can steer away from the fear and vices that tear us apart today and can someday look at ourselves and celebrate our culture as being strong in its wonderful lack of definition." YES. "Its wonderful lack of definition" is how I'd like to think of it, because we do have such amazing diversity here (we even have diversity in our kinds of diversity!) and I love that.
That being said, it's hard sometimes to stay so positive. There are packs of lions at our national door (actually, in our living room, for the lions are us) trying to tear it all apart, trying to make our very strength the thing that can weaken us. There are a lot of shitty people in the world.
But you know what? Fuck them. I mean it. If I let that get me down, if I let that make me look at my own country with shame, then they've won. I'm just having trouble managing the contradiction of "I want to change the world" and "fuck you" coming out of my brain at the same time. Does this mean I need meds?
Maybe I should just start drinking. -
February 11, 2009 at 6:29 PM
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3 comments:
First thoughts:
1. I want to say the latter is where we are headed, but I really do think this is an ageist question. The older generation says depression. The younger, awakening.
2. Yes. Although, I have to wonder what exactly is meant by our founding. Puritainism? The Founding Fathers? Either way, I say yes. In general luxury erodes virtue.. unless we are in a utopia and everyone in the universe can eat. It's wasteful otherwise. But then, where does one begin having "luxuries"? House? Car? Getting your nails done? Hair color? Owning 20 pairs of panties? Being able to buy the good vodka?
What?
3. I had to look up liberal learning to make certain I knew what it meant. I think it means learning by focusing on the individual - as in bettering oneself so that one can co-exist with oneself, others, and the universe. The opposite, I think, is indoctrination. Instead of questioning, one is given an answer without thinking about whether or not it is a good or "right" answer. My answer to the question is maybe. I think liberal learning is essential and important because it's what keeps ideas fresh and innovative, but at the same time it allows for a certain amount of lethargy. Is it "exaggerated"? Hmmm. Odd word choice. Emphasized?
Maybe by exaggerated we mean we don't do enough of it? Like we are boastful about our liberal learning leanings in this nation, but really we are more about indoctrination? In Texas, probably.
Someone Help.
I've waited so long now that I'm probably supposed to be more insightful than I'm going to be. But, whatevs.
1. I like the way that you put it. I think the answer is both. It's just a roller coaster ride, and if we hang on we'll go up the hill and then back down over and over again. Besides, who's to say you can't have both at the same time, depending on who you are, where you are, and whether you're talking about money or art?
2. Hm. I kid of disagree with the premise that we have a love of luxury. Who's "we"? I gather from the rest of the question that it means Americans, but I'm not particularly comfortable making generalizations about 300,000,000 people. Besides, I don't think we have a love of luxury so much as we have a love of acceptance and a sense of success, though it is sad that our culture does seem to value material espressions of those things. And you bring up a REALLY good point regarding the definition of luxury.
3. I don't get this question. And I think I'm getting sick so I'm not going to hurt my brain trying to hard to understand. Let me just say that I don't see how a culture finding any kind of education important could ever be a bad thing. I did say education, not indoctrination, because you make a good point that those a really different things.
P.S. I see you've taken down your "On Being Patriotic" post, which is a bummer because I thought it was really interesting. I printed it out so I could write out a response to it... so...
Here's my comment about your cultural post.
You asked the question, what is American culture? That's a tough question to answer. I like how at the end of your post you say, "I hope that Americans can steer away from the fear and vices that tear us apart today and can someday look at ourselves and celebrate our culture as being strong in its wonderful lack of definition." YES. "Its wonderful lack of definition" is how I'd like to think of it, because we do have such amazing diversity here (we even have diversity in our kinds of diversity!) and I love that.
That being said, it's hard sometimes to stay so positive. There are packs of lions at our national door (actually, in our living room, for the lions are us) trying to tear it all apart, trying to make our very strength the thing that can weaken us. There are a lot of shitty people in the world.
But you know what? Fuck them. I mean it. If I let that get me down, if I let that make me look at my own country with shame, then they've won. I'm just having trouble managing the contradiction of "I want to change the world" and "fuck you" coming out of my brain at the same time. Does this mean I need meds?
Maybe I should just start drinking.
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