Something to think about (music, culture, ethnic identity, religion) (Page 1/5)
williegoat MAY 05, 05:14 PM

I have posted two videos below and although they are well worth watching in their entirety, I want you to watch a specific, roughly 30 second clip from each.

The subject matter is music, but the focus is culture.

In the first video with Rhiannon Giddens (my favorite living music historian), tabla player Sandeep Das expresses an opinion about cultural identity. The clip is from 4:41 to 5:09.

The second video is about Tuareg Rock, but from 5:03 to 5:36 the narrator makes an observation about the driving force behind rock music.

I have said both of these same things for many years, and more than once here on these pages.

You might find these videos interesting, or you might be bored to distraction, but I would like to hear opinions on the ideas expressed in each of the brief clips.

clip from 4:41-5:09


clip from 5:03-5:36


Also, on a side note: I detest the term "world music". It is a blanket term, a wet blanket that is too small. It will leave you cold. Honestly, I think it is condescending and patronizing. It says, "Look at the silly peasants, aren't they cute?"

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"Ain't no rest for the whiskers."

Patrick MAY 05, 10:03 PM

quote
Originally posted by williegoat:

I detest the term "world music". It is a blanket term, a wet blanket that is too small. It will leave you cold. Honestly, I think it is condescending and patronizing.



I feel the same way about the term "leftist", which is thrown around this forum (by a few members) with reckless abandon. Anyone who isn't alt-right is immediately categorized as a leftist. I don't understand the mentality of people who are so narrow-minded.
cliffw MAY 06, 09:51 AM

quote
Originally posted by Patrick:
Anyone who isn't alt-right is immediately categorized as a leftist. I don't understand the mentality of people who are so narrow-minded.



Alt-Right is such an endearing term ?
rinselberg MAY 06, 10:38 AM
"Alt-Right" has meaning.

"Leftist" has no meaning whatsoever, the way it's being used on this forum. One member in particular has gone completely bonkers with it. He insinuated that the forewoman of that special grand jury who went on TV a few months ago and gave a kind of "wacky" interview was a leftist. She said during the interview that she didn't care about politics. I think she said that she wasn't in the habit of voting. So that's a "leftist"..? Really? (That's the investigation that's being led by Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis.)

I have a memory for these forum posts. But they're not easy to go back and find again. I don't think the forum Search function even processes this Politics & Religion section.

The insinuation about that grand jury forewoman, just one of a number of examples from the past year or two on this forum. Examples of how "the left" or "leftist" are words that are being used in a mindless way, or a very uninformed way. These words are not being used. They are being misused. And abused. And I'm not amused or enthused, but I have now mused (about it).

[This message has been edited by rinselberg (edited 05-06-2023).]

williegoat MAY 06, 10:59 AM
Left and right are legitimate political descriptors. Alt-right is a term coined by a neo-nazi who wanted to distinguish his beliefs from the right. He wanted an alternative to right winged ideology. The left seized on the term, although they were unable to comprehend that the alt-right were rejecting the right. They were an alternative, just as the left is an alternative to the right. Just as ketchup is an alternative to mustard.

In order to understand, go to the origins.

How about discussing something else for a change? Does cultural diversity make the left uncomfortable? Why must they derail what could be a productive topic?

I tried this once before, but the thread was derailed by another now banned member: https://www.fiero.nl/forum/Forum6/HTML/125495.html

There is so much in music beyond just pretty sounds. Music is the story of civilization.

Here is another video from Rhiannon Giddens which might make some squirm a bit. Don't squirm, learn.
Patrick MAY 06, 12:29 PM

quote
Originally posted by williegoat:

How about discussing something else for a change? Does cultural diversity make the left uncomfortable? Why must they derail what could be a productive topic?

I tried this once before, but the thread was derailed by another now banned member:
Musical balderdash!

There is so much in music beyond just pretty sounds. Music is the story of civilization.



Seems rather odd that a thread purported to be about music has been posted in Politics & Religion.

[This message has been edited by Patrick (edited 05-06-2023).]

williegoat MAY 06, 02:20 PM

quote
Originally posted by Patrick:

Seems rather odd that a thread purported to be about music has been posted in Politics & Religion.



If you had actually read the thread instead of just trying to pick a fight, you might understand.


quote
Originally posted by williegoat:


I have posted two videos below and although they are well worth watching in their entirety, I want you to watch a specific, roughly 30 second clip from each.

The subject matter is music, but the focus is culture.

In the first video with Rhiannon Giddens (my favorite living music historian), tabla player Sandeep Das expresses an opinion about cultural identity. The clip is from 4:41 to 5:09.

The second video is about Tuareg Rock, but from 5:03 to 5:36 the narrator makes an observation about the driving force behind rock music.

I have said both of these same things for many years, and more than once here on these pages.

You might find these videos interesting, or you might be bored to distraction, but I would like to hear opinions on the ideas expressed in each of the brief clips.

clip from 4:41-5:09


clip from 5:03-5:36


Also, on a side note: I detest the term "world music". It is a blanket term, a wet blanket that is too small. It will leave you cold. Honestly, I think it is condescending and patronizing. It says, "Look at the silly peasants, aren't they cute?"



For any who would like to have an adult discussion, I am trying to bring people together through a greater understanding of culture.

Listen to what Rhiannon Giddens has to say in the last one minute and seven seconds of the last video I posted about the history of the banjo, from 20:20 to the end.
williegoat MAY 06, 02:27 PM
Despite the efforts of a few, I will persist.

Don't allow the narrow minded "progressive" concept of "cultural diversity" to divide us.

A close inspection of culture will prove that we all have a lot in common. We all have a lot to share.



[This message has been edited by williegoat (edited 05-06-2023).]

Patrick MAY 06, 02:44 PM

quote
Originally posted by williegoat:

If you had actually read the thread instead of just trying to pick a fight, you might understand.



Okay... so it's not about music. Thank-you for the clarification.
rinselberg MAY 06, 03:59 PM

quote
Originally posted by williegoat:
Don't allow the narrow minded "progressive" concept of "cultural diversity" to divide us. A close inspection of culture will prove that we all have a lot in common. We all have a lot to share.


I don't see how cultural diversity can legitimately be reduced to a progressive concept.

Cultural diversity is not inherently divisive. It only becomes divisive when people elevate culturally distinctive ideas and values to such an extent that it undermines the foundations of human civilizations and societies that should be universally shared and respected.

There's a sentence that I encountered long ago that has stuck with me. It went like this:

quote
I'm a Palestinian, and a journalist. But I'm not a Palestinian journalist. I'm a journalist... "period".


He was saying that he's a journalist, first and foremost, who happens to be of Palestinian ancestry.

I like that. I think it is important to be that way. It should be the rule, not the exception.

[This message has been edited by rinselberg (edited 05-06-2023).]