What our world has become.

POSTED BY: Fremdfirma
UPDATED: Monday, June 29, 2026 21:34
VIEWED: 23018
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THATWEIRDGIRL

Thursday, May 3, 2007 7:09 PM

I'm glad I decided to see what the FFFers were up to today. It's been a while...

It is a little sad that people didn't stop to enjoy the music. I would have stopped, I usually do when there's a street performer of some kind. I would have clapped and smiled. I would not have given him any money though, I don't carry cash because I don't have cash to spare. I always feel guilty walking away from a free concert, but I'd feel worse having ignored them completely. It happens so rarely though that I do not plan for for such situations.

I'm not surprised people didn't stop. They are hurried and rushed and stuck in their heads. For some, music may not be the way they relate to beauty, it would not have occurred to them to stop no matter the time or talent.

I do think it should be noted that multiple people mentioned how people would react in other cultures. Americans ( I know this is a generalization) do tend to think of street artists as annoying petulant children. Those that can not successfully ply their trade are considered failures.

---
Sometimes I lie awake at night, and I ask, "Where have I gone wrong?" Then a voice says to me, "This is going to take more than one night."
-- Charlie Brown

RUE

Thursday, May 3, 2007 7:24 PM

"What our world has become"

Another thought occurred to me - have US cities ever been kind to buskers, especially classical musicians? In general Americans don't have much interest classical music. You practically have to be a snob or geek or French to like that sort of thing.

CAUSAL

Thursday, May 3, 2007 7:29 PM

I'm smelling a lot of self-righteousness comin' off this thread.

________________________________________________________________________
- Grand High Poobah of the Mythical Land of Iowa, and Keeper of State Secrets
- Captain, FFF.net Grammar Police

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RUE

Thursday, May 3, 2007 7:31 PM

In what way?

CAUSAL

Thursday, May 3, 2007 7:38 PM

Well, this seems like the high school smart mouth. He was the kid who talked sh*t about everybody all the time. He was quick to point out the faults of others, and he always managed to drag other people into his mockery (whoever the target was). But you just knew that deep down he was really just try to make himself feel smart by calling other people stupid, or popular by calling other people losers, or valuable by calling other people worthless.

I just sense a lot of that tone in the thread. "Those people are just _______. I would never have done that because __________." It doesn't really impress me much when people try to look cool by talking down about others. I have no problem admitting that I almost certainly would have walked straight past Bell. Not because I hate music (I don't), not because I can't appreciate beauty (I can), not because I hate homeless people (I don't), but because if I were in that terminal, it was probably because I had to go to work. A lot of the posts make it sound like if you ignored Bell in order to get to work on time, you're some kind of soulless automaton. But since when did valuing timeliness and being a hard worker mean that you're a bad person? As has already been stated, putting him in there at rush hour skewed the data. Because I'm sorry, but at rush hour I just have other priorities. Put him in there at lunch time or on a weekend, and I'm there. But I think that it's just a responsible thing to do to recognize that there are times for stopping to smell the roses, and times where that's not the highest priority. Contra some of the posts, I think that that's not only not unhealthy, but a sign of maturity.

________________________________________________________________________
- Grand High Poobah of the Mythical Land of Iowa, and Keeper of State Secrets
- Captain, FFF.net Grammar Police

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RUE

Thursday, May 3, 2007 7:45 PM

Thanks. I wasn't sure which direction your post was going.

SIGNYM

Thursday, May 3, 2007 7:48 PM

Hey peeps!

Do you suppose you can look at a criticism of a situation and NOT take it as a personal affront?

I prolly would have reacted much the same way as everyobody else: I would have hurried along and specifically not looked. Because (a) I was in a hurry and (b) if I acknowledged the music and "took" something of it then I would be obligated to pay and altho not poor it would take up even more time and (c) I would feel a little sorry for a guy playing so well but in a station that knowing that I can't help in any substantive way I would have to ignore and (d) if the person looked at all dangerous (I realize not in this case) I might have concern for my personal safety.

BUT.

That doesn't mean that I think it's right that we should have to make these choices. I would defend my choice based on my circumtance, but not a system that kills the interest and enjoyment out of children until everyone is turned into a droid.

---------------------------------
Always look upstream.

SAHARA

Thursday, May 3, 2007 7:56 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by SignyM:
Hey peeps!

Do you suppose you can look at a criticism of a situation and NOT take it as a personal affront?

Maybe because the topic title ('our') implied inclusion?
Just a thought.

Sahara
Blackbird fly into the light of the dark, black night.

KHYRON

Thursday, May 3, 2007 7:57 PM

TWG: Good to have you back, hope you stick around.

Causal: Couldn't have said it better myself.

SignyM:

Quote:
Originally posted by SignyM:
Do you suppose you can look at a criticism of a situation and NOT take it as a personal affront? Or do you identify with "the system" so closely that you're co-dependant with it?

The criticism of the situation was meant to be a personal affront to everybody who would've walked past Bell in that situation. "Didn't take time to appreciate the music? You're capitalism's bitch!"

And here you now come and say: "Don't like being called capitalism's bitch? Then you might be capitalism's bitch!"

"The best argument against democracy is a five minute conversation with the average voter."

SIGNYM

Thursday, May 3, 2007 8:13 PM

I didn't get that feeling. Maybe it's because I've seen Koyaanisqatsi http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0085809/usercomments?start=10 (which the article refers to) and My dinner With Andre but I thought the emphasis was on what our society has become, not on what we have become.

I think the movies- Koyaanisqatsi, its companion films, and Dinner With Andre- try to show how our creations sometimes head off in directions that we didn't intend or anticipate. Individuals are clearly at the mercy of the buildings, roads, rules, timetables, and the structure of "everything". It's OK to make the choices that we are forced to make, but that shouldn't prevent us from looking up, or down, or however it is we need to look in order to ask "why".

BTW- I edited out that part about co-dependency before your reply post because I thought it was unnecessarily provocative. But I find lack of analysis and insight frustrating. People who think that everything is directed at them necessarily limit their scope of thought.

---------------------------------
Always look upstream.

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