Theos-Talk Archives (October 2000 Message tt00118)

Art wrote:-
"I liked your critique of modern life Shampan and had a comment
to add
to it....

It's probably normal for us older peopel to critique young people
as
they generally don't follow the same pattern we did , just as our

elders probabaly looked down at us..."

It was not so much as "critique", there is an echo of "wrong"
somewhere, another person was upset perhaps for that reason. Here
is my explanation:-

I do not believe, my path or your path is necessarily better,
there are things in the youth today I admire.. there are things
we had they are not familiar with.

Not a question of imposing our appreciating things on them. And
it is not a difference of "age" or young and old, or era. Just
circumstances.

One could be 80 today who has never had the opportunity to sit by
the sea alone and capture all the beauty in the moonlight. There
are people who never had a chance, if you have spent a few years
in OZ, you can hardly avoid it. On the other hand an Aussie,
could never imagine what it is like to walk through a street in
Woodgreen in London/Hong Kong/Calcutta, really chaotic yet
charming in their own ways.

Not that all those who have not tasted the other side, would have
loved it, but some might, some might not. My grief (or point of
the discussion) is the opportunity to taste it thoroughly and
really see any reason to appreciate .. then he can throw the idea
in the rubbish-bin. That is the problem with youngsters, many
things have been thrown in the rubbish bin by their 2 previous
generations, that they might like, and NEED. But obsolete today.

When I was working with the radio station, there were a lot of
young boys who are in heavy metal. And they all hated classical.
I spent a lot of time with them talking, discussing on various
matters. Once I discussed with them about the charms of their
music. They were surprised. And I was surprised, they "really
understood" music. I tried opera with them few times, they made
some fascinating remarks, like "it's a bit too stiff", "why don't
they sing with a bit more playfulness, why so fixed? ".. etc. I
went one step higher... and explained..."Some critics/experts
might not agree, but that stiffness only started in the late
1940's", then played some of the oldest recordings that exist
today... they liked the voices, they loved the expressionism. Now
some of them getting into orchestral trickery.. which is beyond
my knowledge, as I collect more on the basis of vocal delicacy, I
have little grammar knowledge of music... they have beaten me,
and I am so glad they did, I wish today's youngsters get that
opportunity to taste many things, and some of them will
appreciate, some won't, but certain things they are being
deprived of, which can cause a serious unbalance. And not only
youngsters, many who are twice my age as well..

Things your father liked, even if you do not like, keep some or
your son might yearn for it, and never find it.

LOVE FOR ALL
GREAT AND SMALL
EQUALLY AND IMPARTIAL
-Sham