Vocalist.org archive


From:  "tidwellchristy" <tidwellc@e...>
Date:  Wed Jan 9, 2002  12:20 am
Subject:  Re: [vocalist] Celebrity and Mortality

--- In vocalist-temporary@y..., Dré de Man <dredeman@w...> wrote:
>
> 2: Christy wrote: Clarity need not be thrown out the window along
with
> elitist value judgments.
>
> I am happy to have them, those elitist value judgments. All that pc-
crap
> about everything has the same value, it is plain ridiculous. If
that's
> so, why don't we start burning our books, tearing down our musea and
> opera houses and creep into a cage? Bin Laden is already there to
keep
> us company.
>

First of all, I understand (to a certain extent) where you're coming
from. However, I don't agree with your argument. For one thing, I
am not arguing that everything is equal. I am arguing that
everything is different and that that difference does not necessarily
mean better or worse. I think there are different criteria for
judging things (because of course we cannot ever really avoid judging
things) that need to be taken into consideration. Opera vs. rap, for
instance, can be determined according to different standards and
different criteria. They are simply different systems. Opera offers
one thing to one group (or more); rap offers another to a different
group (or groups). Recognizing that opera is not *inherently* better
than rap (or whatever) is very different than saying that because we
refrain from making immediate absolutist, elitist value judgments
then nothing has any value. Recognizing that opera is not inherently
better simply means what is says. There are cultural differences and
differences in value systems that affect the value judgments we
make. You can still say that you like one better than another. I am
just asking for a little critical distance at times to recognize that
that preference is influenced by certain things is not a sign that
you recognize the absolute beauty or good in the thing you prefer
where a lesser man or woman is deluded into preferring something
inferior.

Christy




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