bernard wolsieffer
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I agree with this insofar as his description of intellectual pessimism vs. emotional optimism. I'm the same way, and I suspect a lot of people (at least in north america) are that way as well. I tend to think that the larger the scope of an issue, the less optimistic a person is for a couple of reasons.Ability to affect the outcome of an issue or problem.An example might be: what courses will be taught in an elementary or middle school. The solutions are more accessible to the average parent, and therefore a parent is more likely to engage his or her energies in that context.Global warm… Read More
January 16, 2008
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Re: When does creative content become someone else's property?
I guess that's why god invented lawyers. When an artist releases something for commercial use, the contract of use should be explicit in the terms in what that content will be included, how long it may be used, etc. And this brings to mind the old adage 'a person representing himself has a fool for a client'. Seriously, get a good contract lawyer. Read More
January 15, 2008
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Big Think - A Statement of Disappointment
Someone please correct me if I'm wrong: When I initially connected to BigThink, I observed a variety of internationally famous people, as well as professionally significant people who are not quite so generally recognized, putting their faces and their words out for all and sundry. While I do not always agree with all of their views and comments, I have been inspired to participate and contribute in my own fashion - with my own name and face attached. Both philosophy and science (and their respective derivatives and integrations) require rigor to be convincing and acceptable within thei… Read More
January 14, 2008
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Re: Should the arts receive more public funding?
I was present at a discussion about the theatre. I saw some sort of human snakes, otherwise known as playwrights, explain how to worm a play into the good graces of a director, like certain men in history who used to insinuate poison into the ears of their rivals. There was some question, I believe, of determining the future orientation of the theatre and, in other terms, its destiny [Antonin Artaud - Le Theatre et son Double] I cannot help but imagine those in charge of public funding resembling such snakes. Read More
January 14, 2008
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continuing the proto-human scenario One other means of visual recording of a clan's history might be in bone; these would have been relatively short-lived, but certainly longer-lived than bark. I do not claim that such relics have been discovered; I only postulate that they may have existed. I will be happy to be corrected by those more knowledgeable in archaeology. Read More
January 14, 2008
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my list (not necessarily in order) Citizen Kane Singin' In The Rain (all time best musical) Twelve Angry Men Tora Tora Tora (best historical film) The Passion Of Ste. Jean d'Arc Vertigo Casablanca Chariots of Fire Guess that at least gives everyone some idea where I live. Read More
January 13, 2008
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a response to MarkSWerner We may only speculate about the earliest proto-man's inclinations; we know from discovered relics that they were hunters and possibly fishers. However, I will submit that (even though this time was prehistoric) vanity could not have been a motivator. Any record of a particularly grueling hunt (of any sort of dangerous other predator) would have most likely been depicting a number of hunters in a life-threatening situation. There may have been (in a crudely analogous expression) an heroic individual at some particular moment (similar to the game-saving ca… Read More
January 13, 2008
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Why Does Man Create? - Personal Reasons
Someone posted a comment to the effect that vanity serves as a personal motivator for creativity. To that I will reply: if that is a sole motivator for an individual, that person either already has an established reputation which that person is attempting to maintain to retain a popular cachet (the vanity will only cheapen the accomplishment), or that the vanity is merely blinders that an individual has that hinders his ability to actually constructively and objectively evaluate that person's ability and talent. Personal impetus (which are somewhat reflected in some of the interviews h… Read More
January 12, 2008
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The first set of criteria that I think of are: 1. To record personal or social history (c.f., the cave paintings at Lascaux. 2. To celebrate, propagate or reinforce cultural tradition. 3. To challenge or expand cultural tradition. To expand on one from a slightly different perspective, Joseph Campbell suggested that the Lascaux art was used as a transformative mechanism for young hunters by the elders, similar to bar mitzvah or confirmation. Read More
January 12, 2008
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For only a few, an artistically creative life is also a livelihood. For most who do create, it is a personal impetus. For all of them, what fuels and inspires that impetus? Read More
January 11, 2008
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... I am fundamentally the sum of my actions and thoughts, and my response to the world's acknowledgment (in whatever form) of my actions. Borges' ultimate labyrinth (the desert) might describe most people's vision - no markers, no sense of direction, except perhaps by the sun, given the wit to read it. I have been fortunate enough to not see (at least the perceptually immediate) world as that labyrinth. However, I am surrounded by many for whom that labyrinth is very real, given their responses to even the most basic of confrontations. Is individual creativity lost, or has this always … Read More
January 11, 2008
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Kurt Vonnegut made a statement that life after college (job, family, social position, etc.) was a reflection of high school - class officers, cheerleaders, jocks, intellectuals, etc. Given that, is there some way to get what might be called (courtesy of H.G. Wells) the lumpenproles out of complacency? Read More
January 11, 2008
Philosopher; programmer; musician; actor/director; web site
