Historical Value

[Bill Ferny]

Tigerlily, with your post falling last on the previous page, I didn’t notice it until a few minutes ago. That’s unfortunate because you bring up a number of provocative points. Mel Gibson gave an interview about his role in Signs, which was apparently a haunting role for him to play. If I can find the interview on the web, I’ll PM it to you.

we have the capability to accomplish so much, but many of us must be cornered with no way out before we act on what we can do.

I vaguely remember this as aspect of the innovative/creative personality: someone who feels cornered by the world in which he or she lives. I think this notion was in the Revolutionary Aesthetic written by I don’t remember, but I’m sure it was someone of notoriety.

Gandalf, I’m not familiar with John Julian Ryan. I’m sure he’ll be in the library, though. The book sounds fascinating.

…for nothing could be more unreal than training one part of the student…to deal with one section of Nature…in order to live a life as a wilful part of the cosmos, and to enjoy…only those parts of his existence in which he is thrilling most intensely to one isolated experience…

That’s some pretty heavy stuff. I better wait until this summer when I have a bit more time read, and re-read, and re-re-read. It’s a bit more complex than 14th century English land economy.