Nelson and all-
Pretty much anything worth saying is going to offend someone, so any=20
animosity or antagonism expressed is probably best interpreted as an=20
inadvertent complement.
Interestingly enough this tension between scientists and the guardians of=
=20
traditional arts and beliefs is very common nowadays. Scientists are=20
investigating why Native Americans taking peyote would have such similar=20
halluciganic experiences, while the traditional practitioners claim that=20
such research is blasphemous =96 peyote is not a psychedelic drug, they s=
ay,=20
but rather a conduit for genuine spiritual experiences.
Scientists tell us that humans are products of evolution, but religious=20
fundamentalists express anger at the very thought. How dare scientists tr=
y=20
to explain away the power of God with such a bland scientific theory? An=
d=20
the counter-idea that evolution is a tool of God provides them very littl=
e=20
solace. For the fundamentalist, what is important is to preserve the=20
element of unexplainable mystery in the world =96 the magic.
For some reason many people are very attached to the presence of magic in=
=20
their lives.
And scientists are always seen as the bad guys destroying their fun. (To=
ugh=20
I guess to call it fun is to belittle its importance.) With time I think=
we=20
have learned that magic is a term we use to describe something science ha=
s=20
yet been able to explain.
What am I getting at: Just because Nelson and his kind can use modern=20
science to completely replicate wonder shakuhachi X =96 (and I am sure he=
=20
could with the proper equipment) doesn=92t take away from the genius of t=
his=20
shakuhachi=92s maker or the power of this music. Something understood or=
=20
explained is not rendered mundane.
Thanks for a great conversation - I have been enjoying the posts a lot!
_________________________________________________________________
Use custom emotions -- try MSN Messenger 6.0!=20
http://www.msnmessenger-download.com/tracking/reach_emoticon
List subscription information is at:
http://communication.ucsd.edu/shaku/listsub.html
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