<- Click hereDick Cavett once mused on his TV talk show, "It might be said that the United States is the first known case of a civilization developing through disintegration."
Do you find you get some great thinking done in the morning shower? I guess the warmer blood steams up the dendrites to a hotter sparkle, eh? So this morning that Cavett quote got retrieved from some cranial storage spot and tumbled around with all the stuff that's going on in Western nations regarding immigration. Now... not to get into a political debate, or even a discussion... it occurred to me that civilization is a pretty heavy word. But how'ze about culture? I wonder if it isn't driven by dilution as it mixes with new paradigms? Huh? Huh? Or izzat so obvious (even without pulling Hegel off the shelf) that it's too shallow to dignify?
Anywayzzzzz.... There's a big gap between tumbling mixtures of cultures and the concept of civilization, no? Barbarism is just as likely, right? Or ... or... a gallup with the Four Horsemen Of The Apocalypse. I wonder how many cultural mixes it takes to finally get a civilization? And how many cultural dilutions it takes until people realize that no one recalls how to fix the potholes in the Appian Way?
3 comments:
I'd forgotten the Ghandi quote... and it is apt... Nice addition, thanks a lot John.
I didn't know the Ghandi quote. It's hilarious and so is this image. Actually I don't know what to make of it philosophically, interpreting it as a "clash of civilizations" metaphor would certainly be one thing, but on the other hand I don't even think that this image needs any interpretation at all. It's so incredibly funny all by itself. I love the oblivious stare of the Native American crossing the engaged and curious look of the ... what? Fantastic.
Andreas
Ted -
This is a stunning image and it drew me in when I saw it during a search for "dilution and reproduction."
Why would I be looking for images with that strange quality... well I just wrote an essay on my blog about border collies and the fight between the herding traditionalists and the modern dog sport people that touched on the ideas of what is culture, digital photography, Native Americans, dilution, and reproduction.
I hope you don't mind that I posted your image on my blog and linked it back here. The questions you raise are similar to the questions I'm asking just applied to dogs!
Your photography is excellent and I hope to delve into your work more now that I've stumbled across your site and your work.
Cheers,
Christopher
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