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As I back through the Millenia, at every culture, From ancient to modern, from primitive cave dwellers to sparkling civilization, from East to West, and from all races of people, I see one common thread. There is a constant search for beauty and artistic expression (often religious) that characterizes each society. From The hand-prints and animal figures of Aborigines, A Chinese Calligraphy painting, a Greek Adonis, Queen Neferteri’s Head, to the Sistine Chapel, The Quest for Beauty in the Service of the Almighty is evident in every culture. Each Culture expresses itself in a Unique Way, and is instantly recognizable, not only by Ethnic Origin, but by Era, Region, and sometimes even the original artist! Russian icons, painted to a Strict Canon of RULES, can still be identified by Artist, if one is schooled in that. The same can be said of Japanese Scroll Paintings, and even Greek Sculptures from Ancient Times.

During the recent Papal Conclave, there was a lot of space in the press spent marveling over Michelangelo’s magnificent works, which were done in the space of two years WITHOUT computers, Airbrushes, Photography, or other tools of the trade. Other frescoes by lesser-known artists were also admired, as they were definitely great works of art, though not on a par with the ceiling or “The Last Judgement”.

I just finished re-reading “Frankenstein” by Mary Shelly, written by a teenage girl in the first half of the 19th Century, back when “Moby Dick”, “War and Peace”, and “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer” were written. I doubt if “Harry Potter” or “Twilight” will survive the decade, much less the Centuries. Remember this when you watch “Shakespeare in the Park”. The play you are watching is FIVE HUNDRED YEARS OLD.

So...Just what IS going on? We have the most AMAZING tools at our disposal to create the Greatest Art ever produced in the History of Mankind. Instead, Our entertainments are shallow and vulgar, our music is without melody, our paintings are childish, our brilliantly conceived republican government has become oppressive fascism, Our leaders are buffoons, and our art is trash.

I am sure every era had its “junk”, but now, “Junk” is the epitome of our culture.

Sad.

Just what IS going on? We have the most AMAZING tools at our disposal to create the Greatest Art ever produced in the History of Mankind. Instead, Our entertainments are shallow and vulgar, our music is without melody, our paintings are childish, our brilliantly conceived republican government has become oppressive fascism, Our leaders are buffoons, and our art is trash.

That question deserves the sort of dissertation that I only wish I had the time to compose. I would say the short answer is that as humankind's knowledge and advances in the material sciences has increased, it has little improved its understanding of itself.

We can now do things in the material world that would have rightly astounded our forebears, but we still have trouble fixing the human spirit. In fact, we've actually degraded as a culture. It's a recipe for disaster on a global scale. As a culture becomes more adept at manipulating the physical realm, it ought to be advancing as well in the area of human consciousness, morality, ethics, personal and group integrity, etc.

Sadly, that doesn't seem to be the case, which bodes ill for the future.

M-L, as you said, at every culture......there is a constant search for beauty and artistic expression (often religious) that characterizes each society.

It appears, that the society we live in today no longer has that thirst for 'beauty and artistic expression'. As you said so accurately, “Junk” is the epitome of our culture."

A large portion of our culture today, is the 'entitlement society'. Many thousands of babies that are not destroyed before birth are raised by a single mother.

The government actually pays these women more money per month, for each fatherless child born. Then, to add to the reinforcement of this abhorition, the government also hands out food stamps and free 'everything'.

These children are not being raised to be responsible adults, with goals, responsibility, self-discipline, pride or a quest for 'beauty'. Instead, they are being raised to believe the 'world owes them'.

Then, at the opposite side of our society today, we have the abortion issue. Thousands upon thousands of babies are aborted every year. Babies that could have been given a good home (through adoption) to a responsible mother and father; babies that may have been the next Beethoven, Einstein, DaVinci or Shakespeare.

I know this is a very simple phrase, but I call it, "The Dumbing Down of America".