[Jaysun]

You may be interested in this article that appeared in National Review online yesterday.

Yes, "modern" means not only "immorality" but anarchy and several other undesirable things as well!

Thanks for the article. I've told lots of people about my theory regarding "modern" art and architecture and immorality. They think I'm nuts. But I've observed it many times.

Most cultures have a unique architectural style. You can see a picture of a Russian cathedral and know it's Russian, a Chinese temple and know it's Chinese, and so on. It's interesting to note the period in which "modern" architecture became all the rage in America and the cultural changes that were taking place during the same time. It's almost as if the ugly, unimaginative, and plain looking buildings are an outward manifestation of the rebellion from all things traditional. And I guess that's what it is. When someone is attracted to modern art and architecture it's an indication (to me) that they're rebelling from the traditional or the "norm" - which is morality, decency, and honesty.

I saw a good example of this in my own family. I started to take note when my cousin sold his traditional home and moved his family into a "Frank Lloyd Wright" style home. He then started selling off all of his furniture and antiques and replaced them with "impressionist" paintings, hideous modern furniture, and bizarre sculptures. His mother, my aunt, said something to me about his wanting to sell our family antiques from Ireland. I bought the antiques and told her that he must be involved in immoral behavior. She scoffed and I didn't say anything else about it to anyone.

Just like clockwork, he stopped attending Church and withdrew himself from our family. Several years went by. He then turned it around, sold the house, and we're back in business. He's admitted that during that time he was cheating on his wife (they had been married 7 years at that time) with a young woman. He ended up getting her pregnant and coerced her into having an abortion.

It was amazing to watch his personal life and taste change in concert. Modern equals immorality. I'm fully convinced that there's something to this.

[Mr Ramsbotham]

It was amazing to watch his personal life and taste change in concert. Modern equals immorality. I'm fully convinced that there's something to this.

That's a fascinating story, and very thought-provoking. There's probably a psychological component involved in the transition. The human mind equates beauty with harmony and order, which we honor by allegiance to truth and goodness. When those things are violated, I suppose it's only natural that the transgressor would seek to remove himself from proximity to the things which continually remind him of his sin. It makes me wonder how many sexual deviants indulge themselves in atheism, not because they disbelieve in God, but because the idea of God is simply incompatible with what they do. If you've ever read any of the Marquis de Sade's works (quite nasty, but very instructive) you'll see something akin to this.

For some time now I've toyed with the idea of writing a novel concerning a wealthy middle-aged lute player who uses the beauty of Renaissance music to seduce the young girls under his tutelage. I see now that any allegiance to beauty would probably be nothing more than a sham; that such a person's true qualities would be diametrically opposed to the love of beauty. If I ever get around to actually writing the thing, I'll be sure to adjust the plot accordingly.

Meanwhile, here's a nice English lute song that touches on the demise of beauty:

Love stood amazed at sweet Beauty's pain,
Love would have said that all was but vain,
And gods but half divine.
But when Love saw that Beauty would die,
He all aghast to heavens did cry,
O Gods, what wrong is mine!

Then his tears, bred in thoughts of salt brine,
Fell from his eyes, like rain in sunshine,
Expelled by rage of fire.
Yet in such wise as anguish affords,
He did express, in these his last words,
His inifinite desire.

Are you fled, Fair, where are now those eyes?
Eyes but too fair; envied by the skies,
You angry gods do know,
With guiltless blood your sceptres you stain.
On poor true hearts like tyrants you reign,
Unjust! Why do you so?

Are you false gods? Why then do you reign?
Are you just gods? Why then have you slain,
The life of Love on earth?
Beauty, now thy face lives in the skies,
Beauty now let me live in thine eyes,
Where bliss felt never Death.

Then from high rock, the rock of Despair,
He falls in hope to smother in the air,
Or else on stones to burst.
Or on cold waves to spend his last breath,
Or his strange life to end by strange death,
But Fate forbids the worst.

With pity moved, the gods then change Love,
To Phoenix' shape, yet can not remove,
His wonted properties.
He loves the sun, because it is fair,
Sleep he neglects; he lives but on air,
And would, but cannot die.