Mickey Z
Cool Observer
Monday, January 02, 2006
The Age of the Lost Astonishment
“I will astonish Paris with an apple,” Cézanne once boasted.
Still Life with Peppermint Bottle (c. 1893-95)
I like the word astonish. It expresses more, to me, than the three S-words: surprise, shock, and stun. That’s what makes it even more incomprehensible that there was once a time when a painted apple could astonish anyone...let alone the sophisticated populace of a major city.
Consider the impact Marcel Duchamp’s “Fountain” had at the 1917 Armory Show in NYC. Later voted “by British art experts” the most influential artwork of the 20th century, the fountain was actually a urinal turned upside-down...and it caused a sensation.
America, it seems, is in the midst of the Age of the Lost Astonishment. A young woman famous only for being born into a wealthy family can appear in a homemade sex video (talk about astonishing Paris). The nation merely shrugs and loyally tunes into her latest reality show. Hard to imagine much attention being paid to Cézanne’s apples these days.
But what of the truly astonishing? Sketchy presidential election results, shock and awe carpet bombing of civilians, prisoner abuse, white phosphorus, a quarter-million killed in a tsunami, the Gulf Coast under water and America’s racial and class barriers stripped bare, unfettered government spying on its own citizens without a warrant, blah, blah, blah.
Are any of us astonished enough to stir from our computer/TV screen catatonia?
And if we did stir...what avenues can we choose/find to translate astonishment into useful action?
+++
Speaking of astonishment (but not useful), check out this list of liberals (sic):
http://tinyurl.com/9nr8w
Or this, yesterday’s “quote of the day” in the New York Times:
“If you’re willing to buy flooded houses, you can find some great bargains.”
- F. Patrick Quinn III, a New Orleans real estate developer
+++
Mickey Z. on your radio dial...
Tonight, I’ll be on with my favorite radio host, Chris Cook, at: http://cfuv.uvic.ca (University of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada: CFUV 101.9 FM 104.3 Cable) from 8:00 to 8:30 p.m. (EST).
For more about Gorilla Radio and Chris Cook:
http://gorillaradioblog.blogspot.com
http://tinyurl.com/7j6w5
If you like what you see on this site, click here to donate $1.00 (or more): http://tinyurl.com/7nkwk
Copyright © 2005-2007 Mickey Z.
