[Fmpro] Yes We Can) The Arts

Wed Feb 6 17:10:04 GMT 2008

Ultimately, there is another lens through which the situation must be seen, i.e., constitutional government.  We have liberty and protection of private property built into our constitutional ethos.  Maybe you believe -- and maybe you're correct -- that the situation is flawed.  OK.  How would you change it?  The constitution contains within it provision for its amendment.  Would you amend the constitution and if so how?  Or would you rather destroy it and replace our system of government.  And if so, replace it with what?

Rick

Fernando Rivas <fernando at rivasmusic.com> wrote: I agree with the concept of the leader as a hired gun - but government also
needs in many cases to be the arbiter or referee in disputes between
extremely opposite factions, otherwise the integrity of the whole may
crumble.  Usually these disputes will involve struggles between those with
great means and power and those with no resources.  This is especially true
in a capitalist system governed by the central gravitational pull of greed.
Without controlling measures (and even it seems with them) those with power
will seek to own, control and/or crush those without it.

Fully agree with the arts education boost - but not with the reasons as to
why it is not endorsed by free market systems.  Partially it is true that an
educated populace becomes increasingly different to govern - mainly because
they ask too many questions.  And that factor alone would lead a governing
elite interested in expediency to limit rather than increase education.
Throughout history that has been substantiated.  But with free market
systems something else has evolved. It is easier to give the populace, or
masses, an illusion of freedom and choice, one that is reinforced through
cultural propaganda and big time advertising.  After long exposure to this
toxic banality it is unlikely that anyone will strongly question the basic
day-to-day operations, let alone try to go against the flow of an
indoctrinated majority.  In such a scenario even some level of education can
be touted as valuable - not to mention profitable for the institutions that
provide it and those who profit from it - as long as the status quo illusion
is maintained.  When the illusion starts to come apart as it did in the mid
1960's the forces of repression will become more obvious - riot police in
the streets, repressive jailings and when all else fails shootings and
executions.  Needless to say a period of instability must be followed by a
massive campaign of propaganda to reinstate balance - but a new status quo
may have resulted from the previous disorder.

On 2/6/08 12:21 AM, "bipcress at comcast.net"  wrote:

> Chris, I think the single most important thing to be done in America (and
> Europe too I suppose), as regards politics and the Arts, would be to affect
> (finance, implement, maintain) serious and permanent change in the area of
> Arts education - and I mean for everyone. All school children should be
> receiving intense and sophisticated cultural enlightenment. This has never
> been a reality in America and it's effects on our society are observably
> devastating. The most vital effect that Arts education has on a populace is
> it literally forces people to think - Art reaches into people's brains and
> flicks the central cognitive switch to "ON". Call me paranoid if you must
> but I am convinced that many of the most empowered and entrenched in
> government secretly do not want extensive Arts education just for this very
> reason. If the masses start "waking up" out of their beer/football/TV
> commercial-induced comas they will start saying things like "Hey, I just
> realized what my so-called "government representatives" have really been
> doing, and I don't like it! I want them to stop, and I'm going to see to it
> that they do!" Most Americans have even forgotten that the President is not
> our "leader" or "decider", he is our employee - really just a glorified bus
> driver that we have hired to "drive the bus" because we are too busy growing
> potatoes, making cars, and writing film scores to do it ourselves. Truly
> free people living in a functioning democracy will not have a leader, merely
> an administrator. / I must add that the realities mentioned above are
> precisely why artists, such as film composers, are so incredibly important
> to the health and survival of our society. If you are intelligent and
> skilled enough to actually write a potent film score then you are a
> profoundly empowered individual, and deserving of great respect and even
> deferential treatment by the society at large. One way to tell if you are
> currently living in a healthy society is to observe that you are (as a
> composer) being treated well, or as if you are important.  - JohnB
> 
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: 
> To: 
> Sent: Tuesday, February 05, 2008 12:31 PM
> Subject: Re: [Fmpro] Yes We Can
> 
> 
>> government can (and should) affect the arts and music and the business
>> surrounding music tremendously!
>> 
>> While a new president alone isnt going to do much, no matter which
>> candidate, a solid administration that is arts minded working with an
>> amenable congress can make HUGE impact on the business of music. The NEA,
>> NPR and social programs for the betterment of art can flourish when the
>> national budget gives it credence and laws changed and created that
>> support artist rights: things like a law that would force ISPs to create
>> unified technology to no longer allow the illegal downloads of media
>> files, or laws that would change how artists collect royalties, or laws
>> that get changed so that a download DOES constitute a performance. This is
>> ALL politics. 100%. And you each need to consider this and choose the
>> appropriate candidates and VOTE this year. Have faith that things CAN
>> change and they will. Maybe not every part immediately, but with desire
>> and unity change for the betterment is inevitable.
>> 
>> In our current situation, litigation is the ONLY thing that is going to
>> save our artform. And that litigation needs open minded change oriented
>> politicians and judges, and it needs unity from us with lobbyists and
>> lawyers working for us.
>> 
>> You say that we are doomed to whatever trends are given to us, fed to us
>> by the mean and evil machine known as the Music Industry (RIAA), well we
>> can change this all with the right administration and the right attitude
>> among us of and for change. Give us some politicians that actually believe
>> in change and we can show them our problems and solutions. Where we were
>> defeated in the past, maybe we can win today. Yes we can, yes we can!
>> 
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: Louis King [mailto:lking1 at nyc.rr.com]
>>> Sent: Tuesday, February 5, 2008 11:16 AM
>>> To: fmpro at nxport.com
>>> Subject: Re: [Fmpro] Yes We Can
>>> 
>>> If you think Gov't is going to save your business/how you make a
>>> living, you need to find a new way to make a living .... I'm not
>>> saying that Gov't doesn't not, can it have an impact on artists,
>>> it's just that the changes in what we do and how we get screwed have
>>> little or nothing to do with Gov't and everything to do with
>>> technology and business practices.
>>> 
>>> Having said that politics affects us all but I don't know that the
>>> "pandora's box" of political discussion is what this list is for.
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> On Feb 5, 2008, at 10:37 AM, chris at alpiar.com wrote:
>>> 
>>>> Why's that? Surely as we need air to live we need new ideals and
>>>> change in politics as composers before all is lost. In case you
>>>> havent been watching, we are on a ship that has been sucked into a
>>>> huge cyclone about 10 years ago and while it fights to stay afloat
>>>> it teeters on the brink of complete and utter *permanent*
>>>> destruction. While I dont know if Obama is the change we need or
>>>> not, we should absolutely be discussing politics on this list. An
>>>> administration in favor of positive change for the people, one that
>>>> supports the arts, one that is liberal and social-program oriented
>>>> is one of the key things we need to save our ship. If you think its
>>>> inconsequential then you need to move along to another form of work
>>>> or prepare for life to be over in the next 10 or 20 years
>>>> 
>>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>>> From: David Das [mailto:david at daviddas.com]
>>>>> Sent: Tuesday, February 5, 2008 10:20 AM
>>>>> To: fmpro at nxport.com
>>>>> Cc: chris at alpiar.com
>>>>> Subject: Re: Yes We Can
>>>>> 
>>>>>> I have doubts that we can fix this world that is so utterly beyond
>>>>>> repair, redemption, release... but what choice do we have but to
>>>>>> contribute to the positive or the negative, and so I choose
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> http://www.dipdive.com
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> Christopher Kennedy Alpiar
>>>>>> Cinematic Composer
>>>>>> www.alpiar.com
>>>>> 
>>>>> 
>>>>> I find these kinds of posts extremely inappropriate on a composers'
>>>>> list. Shall we all now link to our candidate of choice? Shall we
>>>>> start to debate the merits or the positions of the candidate you
>>>>> chose?
>>>>> 
>>>>> I have strong political feelings, and now you've aroused them, but I
>>>>> don't want to start a snowball of off-topic posts, since no doubt
>>>>> many people on the list will have strong and opposing viewpoints too.
>>>>> 
>>>>> Respectfully,
>>>>> David
>>>>> 
>>>>> -- 
>>>>> David Das / david at daviddas.com / www.daviddas.com
>>>>> 
>>>>> 
>>>>> 
>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>> The Film Music Pro List is sponsored by Film Music Magazine -
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>>>> 
>>>> Best of FMPRO: http://www.fmproquotes.com - Quotes site by Billy
>>>> Hale Music
>>>> 
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>>> 
>>> "New York City is like a big ship ... and the water is on fire" - Tom
>>> Waits
>>> 
>>> 
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> The Film Music Pro List is sponsored by Film Music Magazine -
>>> http://www.filmmusicmag.com
>>> 
>>> Best of FMPRO: http://www.fmproquotes.com - Quotes site by Billy Hale
>>> Music
>>> 
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>> _______________________________________________
>> The Film Music Pro List is sponsored by Film Music Magazine -
>> http://www.filmmusicmag.com
>> 
>> Best of FMPRO: http://www.fmproquotes.com - Quotes site  by Billy Hale
>> Music
>> 
>> To edit your list options or unsubscribe, visit:
>> http://nxport.com/mailman/listinfo/fmpro
>> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> The Film Music Pro List is sponsored by Film Music Magazine -
> http://www.filmmusicmag.com
> 
> Best of FMPRO: http://www.fmproquotes.com - Quotes site  by Billy Hale Music
> 
> To edit your list options or unsubscribe, visit:
> http://nxport.com/mailman/listinfo/fmpro
> 

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