From: hampday@earthlink.net
Date: Thu Mar 24 2005 - 07:50:36 GMT
Ian, Arlo, and all --
I sincerely hope this will be the last of the Punk postings.
Ian:
> Platt's point I was trying to address - was the physical, rock, the
> beat, the body - the bilogical aspect being perhaps what Platt saw as
> "degenerate".
Yes, I think getting oneself aroused to sexual activity or social revolution
though the medium of music demeans this art form and is a symptom of
degeneracy. Certainly there is a biological (endocrinal?) aspect in one's
response to any of the creative arts. As a child I used to gallop around
the house to the William Tell Overture, and I've been brought to tears by
Isolde's love song -- from the sheer joy or beauty of the music, not for
some subliminal political message. I've also been exposed to rap, as done
at what they deign to call "concerts" these days, and listened in vain for
any semblance of music. Obviously it isn't intended to please the senses
musically, but to incite anger, hatred, distrust of authority, rebellion,
drug abuse, among other perversions -- all in the name of music. To me,
that's extolling the basest, most primitive and anti-social human activity.
Why would people pay hundreds of dollars to participate in such gross
exhibitionism? If I wanted to experience raucous, uninhibited behavior in
my youth I could get into the Trok burlesque house in Philly for a mere buck
fifty.
But I think I've finally figured out what the appeal of degenerative music
is all about -- and it's the same thing that has prompted the present attack
on Platt and myself. It's the feeling that traditional values somehow
represent an intimidating authority that engendors insecurity and must
therefore be put down. It's the Nietzschean idea that man can discover his
essence or meaning only in revolt, by overturning the status quo.
I recall an advertisement for Decca Records in either LOOK or LIFE magazine
back in the late '40s. It pictured a disc bearing the label "Beethoven:
Symphony No. 5" being smashed to bits next to a headline that said something
like: "Isn't this what you REALLY want?" Decca was converting to an
all-popular format at the time (they recanted when LPs began to sell) and
evidently decided that the best way to create their new market was to
destroy the old.
Radio talk-show personality Dennis Prager summed up this attitude fairly
accurately, I think, when he said: "Those who believe in nothing are very,
very jealous and angry at those who believe in something." He was talking
about nihilism -- and, of course, so was I when I cited punk rock as an
illustrative example. I've concluded that it's the resentment of
authority -- especially against what is seen as the authority of a music
connoisseur -- that has roused the ire of this Value-sensitive group.
Arlo's recent comments bear this out:
> Even above, while giving Ian the personal charge to determine whether or
> not a particular song has Quality, you make it sure that it's "by the
> standards I've cited". What's wrong with Ian's standards? Or mine?
>
> Either you are very egotistical about your musical sensibilities, or you
> feel the world would be better off (less degenerate or nihilistic) if
> everyone liked just what you like.
Of course, I never said anything like that. I was asked specifically for MY
opinions and preferences regarding a variety of musical genres, and I
qualified my answers by stating that they expressed my personal tastes.
"Each to his own"; "we each respond subjectively", I said. Are we not all
expressing our personal opinions, pet theories, and individual perspectives
when we discuss philosophy? Why should a discussion of music be thought an
exception? Why this great outpouring of antipathy to someone's defense of
the classics? Does Platt or Ham represent a threat to your values simply
because we've derived much enjoyment -- and perhaps enhanced our esthetic
sensibilities in the process -- from a more highly developed art form than
punk rock? That there may indeed be something regressive or "degenerate" in
our culture's defaulting to the latter?
It saddens me to realize this may be so.
Essentially (still) yours,
Ham
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