(Bibliography: my 1971 Aesthetics course textbook)

-Aesthetics suggests, correctly, that it is possible to arrive at criteria to sort out good and great art works from those which are lesser or inferior. Some of these, across the various mediums and genres might include unity, formal principles, evidence of conscious and thoughtful design, complexity, intensity, balance, development and variations of theme.

-Art definitely has to do with Truth (e.g., Orwell’s 1984) and morality/ethical behaviors (e.g., Dickens’ Great Expectations). Aristotle: “Art gives us universal truth.” There are external truths in the facts and details of the work and implicit truths–the statements implicit in the work, which Aristotle refers to above. We often glean truths and life ‘lessons’ from exposure to art works. *Relative to morality: works of art often suggest or facilitate moral/ethical values such as connection, empathy, sympathy, understanding, appreciation, respect and tolerance of others.

-There is such a thing as an aesthetic attitude for engaging with the arts. One should ‘read’ the work of art on its own terms with a disinterested, non-utilitarian, non-distracted attitude and no concern of self. It should not be viewed as a means to an end or with any agendas or motives. And whatever meanings or relevance will naturally arise afterward on their own over time.

-Works of art are enduring sources of aesthetic contemplation and engagement to different people in different times and places. There is a definite sense of permanence to works like Hamlet, Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony, and the Mona Lisa.

-When we respond to a work of art, we respond variously to its surfaces, formal structures, and style.

-Good and great art usually alters/reorients our visions of the world and our world views.

-Art is, first and foremost, a communication of feelings (likely most noticeable in music, painting, dance, and poetry). Art always contains this affective dimension. Music is, potentially and basically, a tonal analogue of human emotional life.

-Eventually through exposure to many works of art, we form interpretations and judgements that may enable us to critique or evaluate works of art.

-The responses and judgements that we have of works of art are ultimately subjective quite apart from any common, shared ‘objective’ agreements that might occur. “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder”, finally. As Vincent Price suggested in his book about painting: “I know what I like.”

is it always gets worse. –Bruce Cockburn

The sanitized convenience world of phones and tablets vs. the real, ongoing, ever-increasing eruptions and revenge of Nature leading, again, to a Doomsday scenario.

I am reminded yet again of Wordsworth’s classic admonition:

CNN headline:

Russia is ‘hemorrhaging’ millionaires

What would people all over the world do and how would they manage if The Big One strikes, plunging the Earth into communicative and connected darkness. And, the even bigger question, how would people manage to carry on with their daily and long-term lives during a lengthy blackout? Today’s generations are ill-equipped/prepared to survive. (I always note, with approval, tv commercials for survival skills in the woods.)

Many have speculated about cosmic apocalypses (for instance, a massive solar flare caused a blackout in China today), financial apocalypses (the stock market had a big drop again today; 1/4 of Canadians will have to sell their homes if interest rates and inflation keep rising), natural resource shortage apocalypses (gas, baby food, paper products, other staples), ecological apocalypses (Calgary has just declared a state of emergency for June flooding all over again).

But The Big One no one ever talks about is a digital network apocalypse (affecting everything since our lives have been transferred to continuous virtual online-ness). The final image of the poem is shamelessly borrowed from a Superman movie in which the evil trio are cast into space within a mirror screaming their protests. Yeah, I can easily foresee people of the world reacting in such a crazy, desperate way when someone inadvertently or, more likely, deliberately kicks out the plug.

Purex /Cashmere probably wanted to emphasize the softness of their toilet paper, but using an intimate love song “Sometimes When We Touch” will add a truly bizarre/kinky twist for users of the product.

To say nothing of the consequences of reverse association/transfer. Forever now, fans of Dan Hill and those that hear his song in the future will forever associate him and his song with ‘the go’. At any future concerts, the performer might have rolls of Purex thrown at him. Oh well, at least, they will be soft missiles.

Speaking personally, I’m not sure I would have sold out for such a messy, weird legacy. 

The limitations of technology as opposed to the Arts, Nature, and Love. No question that people and kids today have lost touch with the Greats and great works produced by pre-20th-century Western civilization. Out there is a naive, limited/limiting belief that technology is a god and everything has to be reduced to an app or screen before it has any value at all. A cold, meaningless, impersonal existence is the result of such machine and digital obsession. Remember: Technology will never love us.

“Give us this day our daily shooting.”

-B.C.’s legislation decriminalizing hard drugs

-Canadian cities approving of alcohol consumption in parks

………………………
There will be increases in drug use and drug trade in B.C.

There will be more assaults in parks and fewer families using parks. They will become more dangerous for women and young people.

Decidedly, a lack of common sense and responsibility to the public on both counts.

There are limits to everything, even the best intentions of educational technology when contrasted to the changing harsh physical reality of North American schools. Poems are voices and, in this case, the voice of a cynical speaker who is hip to brutal reality. (BTW/ Frost often used the voices of characters in his best work.)

Poems are also ideas and usually express themes as this one does. The interesting challenge for the poet is choose the specific words, terms, and tones to advance whatever ‘thesis’.