Wow...
Lots of stuff going on. It seems that the previous discussion is suddenly moot because the MF is functioning again! How odd....
I think this "monument"al discussion is going the wrong direction. I see a lot of bickering over whether a statue ought to be "politically correct" (allegedly a social value) or "historically accurate" (allegedly an intellectual value)...
Everyone is trying to determine the "truth" of which is "better" - a multiracial statue or an "accurate" statue. How can either one of these be "better"? On one hand, the logic that says "we need x race and y race and z race" (in this case, African, Hispanic, and Anglo) seems to ask under its breath "What about Asians?" Would it be "better" to make is *four* firemen? Or five? What about fire-WOMEN? How diverse should it be?
The above is most definitely a SOCIAL QUALITY question. I just don't see how anyone could classify it any other way and still be reasonale.
Not to say that the intellectualy discussion is much better. Accuracy may not be Quality... but historical accuracy, AKA (in some circles) "truth" (though not this circle, eh?) certainly falls under the category (though it doesn't neccessarily embody it). The question really is, "But is it ART?" (a great analysis of this can be found in Scott McCloud's "Understanding Comics")
So either the "social" statue or the "intellectual" statue would have quality. Specifically, they would bear static social or static intellectual quality. Whichever we need most right now would be the most important one to have - intellectual may be "higher" but don't forget that important social foundation!
But if I read "Lila" correctly there is a higher quality... Quality, if you will. Anyone? Anyone? That's right. Dynamic Quality is what we ought to be seeking. And no offense to anyone, but deciding to be either historically accurate or politically correct is not a choice a sculptor applying Dynamic Quality is going to make. Such choices are not made "on the cutting edge of reality".
No, such choices are made elsewhere - mostly in the Boardroom, where Bureaucrats can squeeze as much Celebrity out of the situation as possible. Pirsig had a thing or two to say about *that* as well...
But I could be wrong. Any takers? Sorry if I'm not totally clear, this is hastily composed during my lunch break.. (^_^)
Later,
Kenny
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This archive was generated by hypermail 2b30 : Sat Aug 17 2002 - 16:03:34 BST