--- In vocalist-temporary@y..., Dré de Man <dredeman@w...> wrote: > > 2: Christy wrote: Clarity need not be thrown out the window along with > elitist value judgments. > > I am happy to have them, those elitist value judgments. All that pc- crap > about everything has the same value, it is plain ridiculous. If that's > so, why don't we start burning our books, tearing down our musea and > opera houses and creep into a cage? Bin Laden is already there to keep > us company. >
First of all, I understand (to a certain extent) where you're coming from. However, I don't agree with your argument. For one thing, I am not arguing that everything is equal. I am arguing that everything is different and that that difference does not necessarily mean better or worse. I think there are different criteria for judging things (because of course we cannot ever really avoid judging things) that need to be taken into consideration. Opera vs. rap, for instance, can be determined according to different standards and different criteria. They are simply different systems. Opera offers one thing to one group (or more); rap offers another to a different group (or groups). Recognizing that opera is not *inherently* better than rap (or whatever) is very different than saying that because we refrain from making immediate absolutist, elitist value judgments then nothing has any value. Recognizing that opera is not inherently better simply means what is says. There are cultural differences and differences in value systems that affect the value judgments we make. You can still say that you like one better than another. I am just asking for a little critical distance at times to recognize that that preference is influenced by certain things is not a sign that you recognize the absolute beauty or good in the thing you prefer where a lesser man or woman is deluded into preferring something inferior.
Christy
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