Posted by
The Interface on Wednesday, October 21, 2009 11:21:17 PM
There are two metaphors for vacuous hubris of character and content of thought (or perhaps more accurate, nonthought), and interestingly, they are opposite in nature. The first is that of the empty suit, presenting a picture of clothing with no body inside. The second is that of the Emperor without clothing, presenting a picture of ignorant and arrogant nudity strutting its nonexistent finery. Both have been applied to our current President, and not without warrant, however, this post is actually not about The One.
No, this is more about an underlying philosophical shift in worldview that poisons what little thought process remains in the multitudes afflicted thereby. Having rejected the biblical worldview, we see the philosophy of meaninglessness trying desperately to find meaning in truly meaningless tripe. This was brought home to me once again by the juxtaposition of two starkly contrasting occurrences in the last week.
My browser homepage is Google, and I have the “Quote of the Day” gadget installed on that page. Last week, a quote of John Cage (1912 – 1992) was one of the selections of the day, to wit:
If you develop an ear for sounds that are musical it is like developing an ego. You begin to refuse sounds that are not musical and that way cut yourself off from a good deal of experience.
For those who do not know (and trust me, you’re not missing much), John Cage was an alleged composer specializing in what was euphemistically called “avant-garde music.” Actually, it is an insult to music and true composers to call what he did “music.” For example, one of his “compositions” has a pianist sit at a piano for several minutes doing nothing, and that was it!
My, how meaningful! (Not!!!) Now, reread his quote above in that light. The condescension drips off the words as he knowingly says how his “work” will expand your experience into realms of that which is not music but should still be considered profound music. The reality is that most of his “work” invokes the gag reflex with its insipid stupidity and total lack of meaning.
The second event was the performance of Beethoven’s Seventh Symphony by a local university orchestra. This truly great work has lasted centuries (and most people have heard of Beethoven even today; how many really know who John Cage was?) and reaches fully into the soul, lifting it to heights of rapture (if you have any soul) as it resonates with something deep inside the human spirit. The second movement particularly is some of the most glorious ever composed (IMHO). This is Music indeed, with a capital “M.”
So…which one is the emperor with no clothes, Cage, or Beethoven? And what philosophy is likewise an emperor with no clothes seeking to impress the human mind with its vacuous pablum, loudly proclaiming its nonexistent meaning?
You tell me.