Today I went to my high school's graduation to see some close friends of mine walk/give speeches. I sat in the audience as the school principle addressed an audience of students, friends, and family with the message that, among other things, failing a year of school (though still ultimately graduating) or being put as an athlete into early-morning academic study hall to compensate for a sagging GPA were examples of "perseverance."
First of all, to me, "perseverance" is a strong word, implying passionate, devoted, unshakeable determination to achieve a goal. Apparently the principle didn't take into account the fact that kids were held back or put in academic study hall due to a lack of effort and motivation in the first place. At the risk of being labeled an arrogant elitist (or a nerd), I must say that I have yet to see a failing student who put hours of work into school or who places school at the top of their priority list.
The principle also failed to take into account in the case of academic study hall that the kids were forced to be there to stay on their respective sports teams. It is a form of discipline. To me, it sounds like the school is taking an begrudgingly-complied-to institution and turning it into some laughably glorious example of bloody, sweaty, nose-to-the-grindstone labor. If academic study hall is "perseverance," then detention must be too, right? And how about coming back to school after being suspended for a week and graduating nonetheless? Is that a heroic example of perseverance as well? Furthermore, has merely graduating high school in this country of relative ease and opportunity become such a high level of achievement in today's society, to the point where those who do are seen to be "perseverant" as though they had overcome some great obstacle such as famine or governmental repression or war that so often plagues children in other countries?
High school graduation is certainly a large step forward, but it should be an expectation rather than a distinction. If school officials are now condoning or even inculcating minimal achievement by making a Mount Olympus out of the molehill of mediocrity, then I would think twice about educating my future children in this country, or perhaps even this planet. But maybe I'm just being excessively fastidious. I tend to be. Woe is the poor, poor soul who must actually make an effort to succeed in the real world!
Incidentally, all the other speeches were great.
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Aaron Parks
Aaron Parks has posted the entirety of his 2008 release Invisible Cinema on his MySpace profile. Just click on the "Albums" tab at the base of the music player.
Although probably at least in part a rather subtle marketing scheme of the outwardly-contradictory, inwardly-sensible strain designed to elicit more exposure, concert attendance, and even CD sales, I like to think that he is at least in part motivated by a genuine desire to place the sharing of his music with the world at a higher priority level than money-making. The cynical folk (a group I am selectively part of, depending largely on my fluctuating amount of hope for the human race) may argue that, as a professional musician, Mr. Parks's well being is directly proportional to his ability to "make bank." Therefore, allowing people to listen to an entire CD for free on online streaming audio could only be an attempt at further promotion, as without any inherent practical purpose it would otherwise be a professional death sentence by lethal injection, wherein the process goes awry and the subject suffers an interminable, excruciating departure, uttering useless cry after useless cry until the record label executioners compell him to cry no more. But of course, this is a misguided analysis.
If the human soul were able to be seen, I'd like to imagine it as the entire physical world compacted, consisting largely of darkened areas yet undiscovered, criss-crossed on the microcosmic level by highways of tendencies and thought patterns crossing at intersections and connecting countries of desire and emotion that combine to form continents of action and reaction surrounded by an oceans of experience and memory. Of course, the soul is not visible, but music is its aural extension. I am in no position to characterize Aaron Parks, as I have never met him (although I would very much like to). But one can learn a lot about what lies at the heart of a person by listening to him or her empty this heart into music, particularly when something as intimate and personal as improvisation is involved. Of course, this is not always the case. It can be very validly argued that music has a personality distinct from a musician's own personality (a topic for a future blog entry, perhaps). But nonetheless, it makes sense that the characteristics that make up an artist's music must be at least present, if not prevelant, in the artist himself. How can one inject a particular emotion into music without prior knowledge of what it feels like? With that said, Aaron Parks's music is some of the most mature, selfless, genuinely beautiful, and passionate music I have ever heard. At the age of 25, he has accomplished already what many would be lucky to achieve in a lifetime: he gives the music what it needs, not a drop more, and not a drop less. Every note has its purpose within the commune, and every note resonates with that purpose, propelled by his beautifully expressive touch at the piano.
What's the point? Well, first of all, LISTEN TO AARON PARKS. Second of all, if his person is as mature, selfless, genuinely beautiful, and passionate as his music (which it may or may not be), then it makes sense that his fundamental goal is what the fundamental goal of all musicians should be, that is to share the music with the world. Sure, it might help for promotional purposes to let people listen to an entire CD for free, but more importantly, these people are hearing and experiencing something they may not have had they been forced to spend money on a CD. Is that not more important? In a world where money reserves privileges to only those who can afford them, can't something as fundamental to human nature as music be accessible to all? From the musicians perspective, money should be a means, not an end. Of course we all want to make money, and we all need to be solvent in order to avoid the jaws of Social Darwinism. However an artist derives infinitely more satisfaction from the fact that people are listening to what he has to say, identifying with it, and having their lives changed from it. A businessman, on the other hand, sells out.
Although probably at least in part a rather subtle marketing scheme of the outwardly-contradictory, inwardly-sensible strain designed to elicit more exposure, concert attendance, and even CD sales, I like to think that he is at least in part motivated by a genuine desire to place the sharing of his music with the world at a higher priority level than money-making. The cynical folk (a group I am selectively part of, depending largely on my fluctuating amount of hope for the human race) may argue that, as a professional musician, Mr. Parks's well being is directly proportional to his ability to "make bank." Therefore, allowing people to listen to an entire CD for free on online streaming audio could only be an attempt at further promotion, as without any inherent practical purpose it would otherwise be a professional death sentence by lethal injection, wherein the process goes awry and the subject suffers an interminable, excruciating departure, uttering useless cry after useless cry until the record label executioners compell him to cry no more. But of course, this is a misguided analysis.
If the human soul were able to be seen, I'd like to imagine it as the entire physical world compacted, consisting largely of darkened areas yet undiscovered, criss-crossed on the microcosmic level by highways of tendencies and thought patterns crossing at intersections and connecting countries of desire and emotion that combine to form continents of action and reaction surrounded by an oceans of experience and memory. Of course, the soul is not visible, but music is its aural extension. I am in no position to characterize Aaron Parks, as I have never met him (although I would very much like to). But one can learn a lot about what lies at the heart of a person by listening to him or her empty this heart into music, particularly when something as intimate and personal as improvisation is involved. Of course, this is not always the case. It can be very validly argued that music has a personality distinct from a musician's own personality (a topic for a future blog entry, perhaps). But nonetheless, it makes sense that the characteristics that make up an artist's music must be at least present, if not prevelant, in the artist himself. How can one inject a particular emotion into music without prior knowledge of what it feels like? With that said, Aaron Parks's music is some of the most mature, selfless, genuinely beautiful, and passionate music I have ever heard. At the age of 25, he has accomplished already what many would be lucky to achieve in a lifetime: he gives the music what it needs, not a drop more, and not a drop less. Every note has its purpose within the commune, and every note resonates with that purpose, propelled by his beautifully expressive touch at the piano.
What's the point? Well, first of all, LISTEN TO AARON PARKS. Second of all, if his person is as mature, selfless, genuinely beautiful, and passionate as his music (which it may or may not be), then it makes sense that his fundamental goal is what the fundamental goal of all musicians should be, that is to share the music with the world. Sure, it might help for promotional purposes to let people listen to an entire CD for free, but more importantly, these people are hearing and experiencing something they may not have had they been forced to spend money on a CD. Is that not more important? In a world where money reserves privileges to only those who can afford them, can't something as fundamental to human nature as music be accessible to all? From the musicians perspective, money should be a means, not an end. Of course we all want to make money, and we all need to be solvent in order to avoid the jaws of Social Darwinism. However an artist derives infinitely more satisfaction from the fact that people are listening to what he has to say, identifying with it, and having their lives changed from it. A businessman, on the other hand, sells out.
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Fifty People, One Question
http://fiftypeopleonequestion.com/locations/1-new-orleans-la
I was introduced to these videos a couple days ago, and I've been obsessed. Basically, the people shooting the video go to a city, ask random people on the street the same question (in this particular link, the question is "What would you wish to happen by the end of today?"), and film their responses. I have often found myself walking through the streets of Boston or sitting in a café window looking at the people passing by: hurrying, strolling along, large groups, individuals, tall, short, white, black, tan, fat, skinny, eccentric, composed, bubbly, reserved, well dressed, raggedy. The list could go on forever. It is during these times that I feel very isolated, in my own cast-iron safe that is filled with my own experiences and emotions and interests. When I open the door, too often I get into the habit of lumping the people in the world that I don't know or don't have a connection with into the massive amorphous entity of the "populace," when each individual has their own safe filled with riches beyond my imagination. How to get at those riches? Crack the safe, as the makers of these videos have done. The code? A simple question. You may be surprised at what you find.
I was introduced to these videos a couple days ago, and I've been obsessed. Basically, the people shooting the video go to a city, ask random people on the street the same question (in this particular link, the question is "What would you wish to happen by the end of today?"), and film their responses. I have often found myself walking through the streets of Boston or sitting in a café window looking at the people passing by: hurrying, strolling along, large groups, individuals, tall, short, white, black, tan, fat, skinny, eccentric, composed, bubbly, reserved, well dressed, raggedy. The list could go on forever. It is during these times that I feel very isolated, in my own cast-iron safe that is filled with my own experiences and emotions and interests. When I open the door, too often I get into the habit of lumping the people in the world that I don't know or don't have a connection with into the massive amorphous entity of the "populace," when each individual has their own safe filled with riches beyond my imagination. How to get at those riches? Crack the safe, as the makers of these videos have done. The code? A simple question. You may be surprised at what you find.
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