Welcome to one of the most active flamenco sites on the Internet. Guests can read most posts but if you want to participate click here to register.
This site is dedicated to the memory of Paco de Lucía, Ron Mitchell, Guy Williams, Linda Elvira, Philip John Lee, Craig Eros, Ben Woods, David Serva and Tom Blackshear who went ahead of us.
We receive 12,200 visitors a month from 200 countries and 1.7 million page impressions a year. To advertise on this site please contact us.
RE: Elitism in the world of Flamenco (in reply to mrstwinkle)
quote:
And those who don't. People can wear elitism well and without arrogance or ****lyness. Or be right black plastic things this forum seems to be obsessed with. Sadly, it is the latter trait, combined with an inability to see another's point of view, which gives elitism the bad name for some.
The world would be boring without bad arrogant elites because then there would be no one for disgruntled to scapegoat and blame their mediocrity on. Then the bar would be lowered and being elite would be so common it would no longer have meaning. The mediocre would become elite, and a cascade of mediocrity would befall the human race until we were the arrogant overlords of rocks and sticks who we would consider to be dumb and beneath us as humans.
I think elitism to be an attribute of personalities who strive for recognition. Also shown by the circumstance that performers, skilled beyond the level of common elitists will often times prove to the opposite, down to earth and kind.
I have visited several subjects up to a degree that can´t be gained easily. Some skills came to me rather easily, others needed hard work and a lot of time. Yet, even when turning upside-down my life´s routine on behalf of a subject, including substantial struggles like moving away / leaving girl-friends, social life behind etc. to receive lessons full-time etc. ... A subject in question would never reserve all of my objective. Even if there was no time and energy left for other themes and passions, they would only be resting.
As universal dilettante (the way I see myself) think I can claim to have not behaved elitist with regard to any of the disciplines. And that while having had neither less of respect for the subject nor less of proficiency than some examples of elitist behaving individuals may have had.
And grounded attitude I think to have seen with almost all of highly advanced whiz. The vast majority of theirs appearing humble and very open to beginners / laymen as well as to peoples´other kinds of skills. Whereas fanatic, arrogant folks, wholy-focussed on a single discipline, commonly used to be those who apparently felt to be having nothing else in life. As if defending an island they had found refuge of value and qualification in.
Having said that, I do understand Bill´s quotes. However, would I prefer a home-grown term of "culturist" instead of "elitist" for that. Hence, for discerning skills and culture, and naming things for what they are. Be it highly developed achievements or on the other hand ignorance and baloney.
Printable Version
New Messages
No New Messages
Hot Topic w/ New Messages
Hot Topic w/o New Messages
Locked w/ New Messages
Locked w/o New Messages
Post New Thread