Being Point

Tag: music

  • “Koyaanisqatsi” ~ “Life Out Of Balance” ~ 1983 Film Depicting The Effects Of Imbalance

    Among the most famous works addressing imbalance is the 1982 movie, “Koyaanisqatsi,” which is a Hopi word meaning, “life of moral corruption and turmoil” or “life out of balance.”

    The movie is famous for its fast-paced images, no dialogue or plot, amazing cinematography and music by composer, Philip Glass.  The movie features disturbing, powerful images showing – among many others – environmental damage, the sprawl of “civilization” on the planet, military equipment, and freeway traffic in fast motion.

    What do you think about the level of healthy balance in our culture?  Are we headed in a positive, healthy direction as the human race?  What does our culture teach us – or teach us to ignore – about balance?

    Here is a link to the film.  You can scan forward and allow it to quickly buffer so that you can get a sense of the film’s message and tone.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sps6C9u7ras

  • “Poetry Is Nearer to Truth Than History” ~ Plato

    What would the world be without poetry? Poets translate the world into infinite ways for us to experience it from the bittersweet, to the tragic, to the humorous. Poems were often sung in ancient times, and we are surrounded by song lyrics that often aspire to poetry.

    Plato said, “Poetry is nearer to vital truth than history.” This makes sense in that poetry at its best is an open window into the human condition. Whether or not you read poetry, if you sing along to songs, you are engaging in a form of human poetry that is as old as language.

    How is poetry a part of your life? Do you remember song lyrics, and do you consider them poetry? Do you have a favorite poem, passage or line that speaks to you in some way?

  • Rock Star Hopes For Change On A Global Level

    Two nights ago, I attended an event at the new Grammy Museum featuring Tom Morello (guitarist for Audioslave, Rage Against the Machine and in his solo incarneration, “The Nightwatchman”). He was interviewed for an hour on stage and then he played six songs alone with his acoustic guitar.

    Tom blends politics and music. He talked about how he went to Harvard (unusual for a rock star) with the stated intention of “steeling himself” to be a force for positive change. He talked of his hopes and how they matured over time . . . . and how his hopes had to mature with him.

    How do your hopes compare to your hopes in your late teens? How have your hopes changed? What have you given up on, left behind, abandoned? Are there areas where your hope is as strong or stronger than ever?

    How big are your hopes? How do you view people who live out their hope for change on a global level?