Mark wrote:
> I don't see it as being totally wrong to compare Joni's >*artistic*
philosophy to that of Ayn Rand. I'm thinking more >of 'The Fountainhead' in
this regard than of 'Atlas Shrugged'. >The protagonist of 'The Fountainhead
is a brilliant architect >who absolutely refuses to compromise his work - to
garner >critical or popular acclaim or for any other reason. Rand's
>contention is that great art can only be created from the >artist's purely
selfish desire to fulfill his or her own unique >vision. I don't think
that's much different from Joni's refusal >to pander to critical or popular
taste.
Thanks for this insight! For whatever reason the English teachers in my
senior year of high school focused more on the works of Ayn Rand than any
other writer. We had quite an immersion in her and I was totally fascinated
by her writing and philosophy. Whether or not one agrees with her
philosophy, she is a brilliant, original and compelling writer.
> I find it's best to sift out what doesn't ring
> true and keep what seems right. The older I get the less I >am inclined
to swallow any given line of thought whole.
Me, too. As much as I love her writings, to apply a completely
"objectivist" orientation to the big wild and wooly world is just not
realistic. I think that she believes her philosophy is compassionate in its
own way in that "if we take care of ourselves first, then others will
benefit positively", but the "rationalism" of it all is a bit dry and leaves
a huge hole in the equation for me. In addition to leaving out the
compassion factor she also, as an atheist, leaves the spiritual factor out
of her philosophy. It is all compelling but also glaringly lacking in a few
major areas. My true soulmate writer has always been John Steinbeck, who
does more to elevate the beauty of humanity for me than anyone. I think I
read all his books about four times each. They are gorgeous, real and full
of heart.
> In that light I would just like to say to Kakki that, although I >do not
necessarily agree with everything you have said in >the recent discussions
of the election, I *always* respect >the fact that you try to take an
objective stance and see >things from all possible angles. I appreciate your
clear->headedness and lack of vitriol.
Thank you Mark! Bottom line for me is that people and freidnships and music
and lots of other things are more important to me than political
affiliations. God forbid anyone's political party becomes their "religion"
where the precepts say "it's my way or the highway." I'll become a radical
anarchist before I let that happen to me! ;-)
Kakki
