Capitol Hill Blue Forums Misc. Topics Ain't This America What is distinctive about American art and letters

I haven't read the entire thread, I don't really have the heart to as I can tell it would be pretty fruitless to. But as to the names of some great American authors...

Theodor Seuss Geisel or as most know him, Dr. Seuss. I'm sure numan will poo poo him, but his name will outlast most, he was both an author and artist. And his papers are housed where I work, UCSD.
Now for stuff that numan might consider more *ahem*... cultured... may I point at UCSD's Archive for New Poetry Almost all American, some well known, some not, but poets often aren't except for those in the field.

I would like to mention that Austin, Texas is coined, "The Live Music Capital of the World". Now that might sound a bit Texan cuz it's always been sort of a Texas thing to say that everything in Texas is big. But, there are untold number of bands in every venue possible that travels to Austin to play.

But, one really dominate factor is for the many who visit Austin specifically to catch Texas Blues, Texas Rock-A-Billy, Texas Infusion with all types of music. Some believe that there is a very unique flavor and art to the Texas music influence mixed with other types of music such as...Chicago Blues.

So the art of music seems to flow through the streets of downtown Austin like wine in Napa Valley.

By the way...it's not at all uncommon for European bands to make their way to Austin.

you texicans are uncouth braggards.

Ohhhhhh, 2Wins...absolutely can't deny your observation. Texicans are...well, Texicans. Since I'm born and raised it's hard to imagine being anything else...except maybe I'd like to be an Idahodian...like say near Sun Valley.

Here's To Texas and all the other great states.

Oh oh....Austin is doing a...mine is bigger than yours thing!
Yes darlin, yours is bigger than mine.
It is.

I wonder about per capita though.

Your South X Southwest has an Athens stage.

Those who live in the lowlands may think that art is merely a matter of taste, and mock the distant mountains which they have never seen.

But those who have wandered, however briefly, among the towering peaks of Great Art, can never again be satisfied with the Cities of the Plain.

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On the contrary, I agree with you; Dr. Seuss was a great American. He was unique: original, artistic and, rarest of all things in the American scene, he had a positive influence on the lives of many millions of human beings. I used his books when I was teaching a class of graduate students in a Japanese University!

A great proportion of the positive education of young Americans can be traced back to attitudes and techniques which he pioneered. Unlike most of his fellow citizens, he truly cared about children, and did as much as one person could to instruct them, and counteract the negative influences which surround American children and which batter, abuse and subvert their young, tender spirits.

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Numan, I find that sad.
High culture ALONE makes life worth living?
Not me. I'd rather just not, I think. That's not living.

Haven't you ever just wanted to dance in the streets, man?
Maybe even in the rain?
Maybe even naked?
Be stupid and spontaneous?

If I thought I had to (HAD TO) understand and appreciate all ancient art forms in order to validate my life, I think that would be enough for me to want to check out.
That's just too heavy for me.
Art should be about what touches you.
What makes one person shallow and another deep? Why does it matter?
Who are you to say? And why is your way better?

You started this thread to negate all American art and effort.

I don't have a measure stick like you apparently do.
I just don't feel the need to even have one.

Kinky Friedman and Fred Reed provide me with half my cultural leanings, some of the old European masters another third, and the rest is rock and roll.

But "A Brass Pole in Bangkok" is a trip to ecstasyland.
Lots of culture in them thar pages.

I wonder why you think that dancing in the streets is antithetical to High Culture?

And stupidity and spontaneousness are often very important to the creative process --- just so long as the stupidity does not become excessive, as it does in certain nations which shall be nameless, but which ye wot well.


Ah, that is a deep question! And it would require a deep analysis on another thread.


It matters because the shallow people are destroying the Earth.

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