I admit that I like to go to restaurants serving food from other countries. Here in the D.C. area, such restaurants have been around for a long time, of course; but in the past two decades, the numbers of these restaurants have grown by leaps and bounds, almost to the point that (1) we can't find American-food restaurants close by and (2) the American-food restaurants are outrageously expensive.
Offhand, I'd say that we have more "foreign" eateries than we do American eateries.
On a more serious level, I note that the diversity here has really fractured the fabric of our society. Is there some enrichment? Of course. As a foreign-language major, I enjoy that aspect. But I do want to see American culture be the dominant culture.
Our culture will ALWAYS have diversity. The question is, should we stress the diversity or the unity? Will we be multiculturalists or culturists?
Even so, some sources of diversity are just antagonistic to our fundamentals. Some parts of diversity are just plain unwelcome, unhelpful and dangerous to the Western part of the world.
Sorry for not replying quicker. I have been doing research in DC.
As per my chapter on Wester Civ, the answer to your query is complicated. It is a compilation of many factors: history, ideals, art, and even a certain ontology.
The history is history of Western civilization: Greeks to Rome to Dark Ages to the Protestant Rev. You know about that.
This has led to ideals. You might think separation of church and state, rights, democracy and freedom of speech are universal. Look at the other civilizations, Islam and China, these values are conspicuous by their absence.
Art of the West is both old and popular. Michelangelo and Dante are Western. If you don't know about Western history or art, I'd ask you to read up. But popular art, such as film noir is also good Western stuff.
And compare the ontology by looking at Muhammed and Socrates and Confucius. Here approach to the world is different before the get go.
Culturist John, you'll have to pick something better than states rights. That's hardly important.
Free speech, to some extent. In America that babble is so loud and so controlled that the power elite doesn't much care what you say. Occasionally it has effect but the threats to free speech are much more often internal. Separation of church and state, critical.However, I think the threat is again more internal than anything from the so called multi cultural movement.
Art? I have a fine arts degree. You really don't want to go there but if you do let me see a short article on the influence of Ukiyo-e on the neo-Impressionists or something maybe African masks as an influence on the Cubists. The idea of "western art" is pretty fluid. Just trace the historic influences of North Africa on European music. They give us rhythm, we give them melody.
It's still hard to see "culturism" as code for something more insidious.
Thanks so much for your comments. They are really insightful.
I think that Islam is the biggest threat to free speech in the West. Blasphemy is being outlawed. And that is a dangerous slippery slope. And, BTW, that greatly impacts the separation of religion and state.
That said, I agree!! Corporate owned media is a bad conduit for ideas. I hope the diversification of channels and the internet will help mitigate this constriction. Do you have ideas about how to reform media?
And, you are certainly right that, especially recently, international influences happen in art. Still, no one will confuse Beethoven with African ritual drumming. And cubism and Van Gogh (two internationally influenced events) have a vastly different orientation than African tribal masks and Japanese prints. I think you must overplay the impact of "influence" to not see major distinction. And you must realize that Western art refers to a largely definable body of work building off its own history.
I am not sure what you mean by "It's still hard to see "culturism" as code for something more insidious." I'd like to. But, I do not entertain fantasies where we totally agree : )
... and Japanese prints. I think you must overplay the impact of "influence" to not see major distinction.
-------------------------
Yes, Japanese prints were mass produced and available for wide range consumption. The art was populist.
European easel painting rarely got out of the manor house and was virtually unknown. If a person wasn't wealthy or Roman Catholic(church art) they were virtually unaware.
Heck, unlike Japanese print making European painting to a while to even picture the common man. Courbet, Chardin and some of the Dutch. It was a struggle.
10 comments:
I admit that I like to go to restaurants serving food from other countries. Here in the D.C. area, such restaurants have been around for a long time, of course; but in the past two decades, the numbers of these restaurants have grown by leaps and bounds, almost to the point that (1) we can't find American-food restaurants close by and (2) the American-food restaurants are outrageously expensive.
Offhand, I'd say that we have more "foreign" eateries than we do American eateries.
On a more serious level, I note that the diversity here has really fractured the fabric of our society. Is there some enrichment? Of course. As a foreign-language major, I enjoy that aspect. But I do want to see American culture be the dominant culture.
AOW,
Our culture will ALWAYS have diversity. The question is, should we stress the diversity or the unity? Will we be multiculturalists or culturists?
Even so, some sources of diversity are just antagonistic to our fundamentals. Some parts of diversity are just plain unwelcome, unhelpful and dangerous to the Western part of the world.
www.culturism.us
What is American culture?
I'm always hearing about "American culture".
Evangelical Protestantism? A rural America that is long since past and gone?
American food? What's that? A Big Mac. There is no indigenous American food to speak of.
Laissez-faire capitalism? Hows that working out for you?
dear ducky, speak ingliss, oh and im here in washington with john, peace and tree lovin hugs to ya
Ducky,
Sorry for not replying quicker. I have been doing research in DC.
As per my chapter on Wester Civ, the answer to your query is complicated. It is a compilation of many factors: history, ideals, art, and even a certain ontology.
The history is history of Western civilization: Greeks to Rome to Dark Ages to the Protestant Rev. You know about that.
This has led to ideals. You might think separation of church and state, rights, democracy and freedom of speech are universal. Look at the other civilizations, Islam and China, these values are conspicuous by their absence.
Art of the West is both old and popular. Michelangelo and Dante are Western. If you don't know about Western history or art, I'd ask you to read up. But popular art, such as film noir is also good Western stuff.
And compare the ontology by looking at Muhammed and Socrates and Confucius. Here approach to the world is different before the get go.
Thanks for asking!!! John
Culturist John, you'll have to pick something better than states rights. That's hardly important.
Free speech, to some extent. In America that babble is so loud and so controlled that the power elite doesn't much care what you say. Occasionally it has effect but the threats to free speech are much more often internal. Separation of church and state, critical.However, I think the threat is again more internal than anything from the so called multi cultural movement.
Art? I have a fine arts degree. You really don't want to go there but if you do let me see a short article on the influence of Ukiyo-e on the neo-Impressionists or something maybe African masks as an influence on the Cubists.
The idea of "western art" is pretty fluid. Just trace the historic influences of North Africa on European music. They give us rhythm, we give them melody.
It's still hard to see "culturism" as code for something more insidious.
Noir? American or French?
Ducky,
Thanks so much for your comments. They are really insightful.
I think that Islam is the biggest threat to free speech in the West. Blasphemy is being outlawed. And that is a dangerous slippery slope. And, BTW, that greatly impacts the separation of religion and state.
That said, I agree!! Corporate owned media is a bad conduit for ideas. I hope the diversification of channels and the internet will help mitigate this constriction. Do you have ideas about how to reform media?
And, you are certainly right that, especially recently, international influences happen in art. Still, no one will confuse Beethoven with African ritual drumming. And cubism and Van Gogh (two internationally influenced events) have a vastly different orientation than African tribal masks and Japanese prints. I think you must overplay the impact of "influence" to not see major distinction. And you must realize that Western art refers to a largely definable body of work building off its own history.
I am not sure what you mean by "It's still hard to see "culturism" as code for something more insidious." I'd like to. But, I do not entertain fantasies where we totally agree : )
Thanks again, John
... and Japanese prints. I think you must overplay the impact of "influence" to not see major distinction.
-------------------------
Yes, Japanese prints were mass produced and available for wide range consumption. The art was populist.
European easel painting rarely got out of the manor house and was virtually unknown. If a person wasn't wealthy or Roman Catholic(church art) they were virtually unaware.
Heck, unlike Japanese print making European painting to a while to even picture the common man. Courbet, Chardin and some of the Dutch. It was a struggle.
I must add that a good deal of my attitude comes from living in a city (Boston) that has extremely fine non western collections.
The oriental art here is the finest outside China and Japan. Also exceptional Egyptian and Assyrian collections.
Trying to see art as an "American Idol" competition is going to cause you to miss a lot.
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