"PIZZAONIAN EMERGING #3" Courtesy of the Pizzaonian Art Institute, Abe Straction, Curator (C)2013
“..ideological myopia -a failure to realize compromising a little is better than staying stuck in the present path.” C. Nobel
A traditional dilettante could never be an ideologue. It runs counter to the tradition. The mere thought that someone could be so sure of themselves that they never need to compromise is to any serious dilettante - complete folly.
We need to make clear that by dilettante, we mean a “lover of the arts” rather than it’s more popular meaning “a dabbler, or someone who moves from one idea to another.”
“A lover of the arts” is not an artist, but one who appreciates art, but even more, respects culture as the foundation of a well-defined life. In order to respect culture you not only must be thankful for your own life, but the vagaries and idiosyncrasies of all other life as well. Simply said, you respect the human condition and embrace humanity warts and all.
From our distant perch, it seems in your world, there are two places that produce the most ideologues. They are emerging countries trying to gain a foothold, and established dominant countries struggling to keep their vaulted position in the order of things.
Everyone else in the middle seems quite content to live in relative tranquility at least in comparison to the two extremes. They seem to have put their faith in the people rather than in institutions or governments. As it was said to me years ago “Governments come and go but the people are forever.”
This also makes sense since it is the people who form cultures not governments. One could argue that the institutions and governments of our world reflect the culture of the people, and in the beginning this is probably true. However, unfortunately, this is always short-lived.
It is only a question of time until institutions become worlds of their one, living in a bubble that serves their purpose rather than the general good. It seems to be the inevitable nature of power to insulate itself from outsiders who seek to share it or be included.
This is hardly a new condition. It has existed from the time of the caves. As soon as some cave dwellers realized they had bigger clubs than “the other guys” they formed their own exclusive circles.
George Orwell said it better than anyone in Animal Farm - “All pigs are created equal, but some pigs are more equal than others.” You need to look at any advanced democracy and see this being played out each day.
What else could explain the “madness” going on in the U.S. Congress? This is a perfect example where a so-called democratic institution claims to represent the people as it serves its myopic self-interest. Enter the intolerant ideologues who would destroy the country in order to save it.
As we said at the beginning, give us the dilettantes every time. They are much too interested in the wonders of the world to seek power. And if they did seek power, they soon realize that this interferes with their dilettantism and move on to better things. As a result, the worlds they live in are much safer and better places.
John Frank Giovanni commenting for the "The Pizzaonian"- a division of the Pizzaonian Newsertainment Network, Diverti Mento, Editor Emeritus
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