[Platt] When government acts to assure freedom, in this case, freedom from brain- numbing, disturbing the peace noise, I'm in favor of it.
[Arlo] Your freedom, my restriction. Why don't we let market forces decide? :-) [Platt] I don't favor the right of an individual to expose himself to children. I guess you do, although hypocritically you won't practice what you preach. [Arlo] You're touching on the psychological sexual hangups of the Americans here, and insinuating that I'd support molestation. Other countries have no such hangups on the human body, and are able to separate out nude sunbathing from child abuse. [Platt] Let's begin our revolution by emphasizing education in the arts beginning in kindergarten, discovering each child's artistic delight at an early age and building on it right up through high school. I don't just mean writing, painting, sculpture, music, dance, etc. although those are important. I mean the art of cooking, rhetoric, mathematics, economics, medicine -- you name it. There's an art to every human activity -- "Beautifully done by little Platt and Arlo." (If not, little Platt and little Arlo are damn well going to hear about it. But, ideally, they will know it themselves.) What do you think? [Arlo] I think you and I are in more-or-less complete agreement. Let me extend. As I see contemporary education, it consists of three artificially separated spheres. Academics, "Vocational" and (Fine) Arts. The traditionally "vocational" paths are often smirked upon and seen as the place where "dumbies" end up. Academics is heavily steeped in the type of "objective dualism" that almost goes without saying here. And as such the "fine arts" are seen as frivolous and irrelevant. Quality ends this. Being a "plumber" is an art, no less valuable or more pedantic than "engineer". I am reminded of a line from The Breakfast Club. Johnson and Bender discuss the value of "shop" class. Johnson: Bender, did you know without trigonometry there would be no engineering? Bender: Without lamps there'd be no light. And the Arts aren't relegated off to some odd smelling dusty room, but are integrated into every subject. Indeed, "shop" and "art" classes become almost synonymous. Rotisserie assembly and sculpture are united. There would also be no stigma to drifting around until you found something you were GOOD at. If it is cookery, then you are supported to find and create art through cooking. If it is engineering, then you are supported to build beautiful bridges and buildings. If it is plumbing, then you are supported to build Quality and respected pipings. Its a good start. moq_discuss mailing list Listinfo, Unsubscribing etc. http://lists.moqtalk.org/listinfo.cgi/moq_discuss-moqtalk.org Archives: http://lists.moqtalk.org/pipermail/moq_discuss-moqtalk.org/ http://moq.org.uk/pipermail/moq_discuss_archive/
