A Few Random Musings

I was reading an article in Newsweek by Malcolm Jones titled "Everything is Illuminated". The author expresses nervous-excitement and at points fear for a renewed comics series titled Classics Illustrated. He writes about the difficulty of reviving something classic and the attempt to make it as good as the original (Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull anyone) Upon finishing reading this article one idea Jones raised remained with me:

"...Might we say that a truly great novel or movie or play is one that so thoroughly works its way into our culture that we forget who created it in the first place? Are these not ultimately the most potent stories, the ones that belong to everyone, and no one? It's about as close as we get to myth these days" (Malcolm Jones, "Everything Is  Illuminated", Newsweek, March 2008, 60)

I wonder how we could apply this sentiment to film and piracy? That is a discussion for later. When I read this I think of the oral tradition and political theorist Danielle S. Allen. If you have never heard of her, in a nut-shell-she is brilliant. She has TWO Ph.Ds one in Classics and the other in Political Science, and she's super young! Danielle delivered a lecture at my school pursuing the answer to the question, "Can A Democracy Be Wise?". It covered a plethora of problems in contemporary American society. Raising questions such as: 

• Can democratic citizens know enough to govern themselves well? 
• Is a regime capable of circulating knowledge of habits quickly and widely enough to make sure info gets to the right place at the right time? 
• Why are we bad at learning about foreign places? 

She began with a critique on our current "regime" and finally concluded with our education system. Proposing a revival of standard "old-fashioned education in rhetoric". I know this is brief but the lecture was long. In the future I will write an entry just about her lecture if you are genuinely interested.

So what does this all mean? Well, with an old-fashioned training in rhetoric one can see through self interest affected arguments and consequently be able to guide oneself through society. I would like to call your attention to the idea of training in rhetoric and the oral tradition. I returned home from my first year of college for the summer and my friends keep asking me to tell them stories. Stories which I am happy to supply, if I can conjure them from the depths of my memory. I strongly encourage you to go out and seek out ways to revive the oral tradition in this electronic age (Yes, I do see the irony in this circumstance. But then again, perhaps this is what piracy attempts to do?). There is nothing as important as our oral tradition. If you think you are on AIM too often or Facebook too much, take a break and call some one. Go out and be productive. Gather your friends around, in the park, around a fire, sip some tea, and read aloud. The Brother's Grimm, D'Aulaires Book of Greek Myths, The Green/Blue/Orange/Yellow/etc. Fairy Book collection, Herodotus: The Histories, Ovid: Metamorphoses, Immortal Poems from the English Language, folk tales, myths ,legends, and any other tall-tales you may know make for great fun! If you are really up to the challenge try reciting one from memory or creating your own! For these stories will nourish your mind's eye, what I would argue the most powerful tool to date.

 

Heed Jones sentiment though, understand the difficulty of reviving something lost. Classics Illustrated attempted this feat from 1941 till 1971. It vanished for a while and now people are attempting to bring it back to life. Realize that its success is minor in comparison to the refusal to let it be forgotten. Which segways into the importance of the written...