Archive for the ‘Culture’ Category

My Who Dat? post (or) Why sports?

Friday, February 12th, 2010

[I tried to add a good picture here but this just updated version of WordPress for some reason will not allow me to do that.]

Donald Miller in his excellent book Searching for God Knows What? wonders what would happen in an alien came over to our house to watch some of our television shows.

[The alien] would sit there watching basketball but not understanding why we play the game. Why do they do that? the alien might say. It’s a game, a competition, we would answer. But why? Why do they play the game? What are they trying to decide?

They are trying to decide who is the better basketball team, we would say. The better basketball team? the alien might question, wondering out loud why twenty thousand people would show up to find out which basketball team was better than the other. (93)

Congratulations to the New Orleans Saints for their victory in Super Bowl XLIV! And to the city of New Orleans and the people of Louisiana.

Who Dat???

I like most sports. Do not follow baseball basketball or football as most other Americans. Maybe because I do not play any of them well. (So what? How many avid fans play the sport well?) At least partly because we lived in Great Britain for five years when I was a teenager. My favorite sport is football aka soccer. Also enjoy golf badminton volleyball and even field hockey. And yes have played them and fairly well.

(Quick interesting anecdote. At the American school in England was asked to play with the girls’ field hockey team. No kidding. That’s how good I was. Of course I said thanks but no. Idiot.)

And it is not like I am not competitive. Just ask the family. I have to be the best. And I could get pretty ugly when my girls did soccer and basketball.

I tend to watch only the big games. Playoffs and bowls. And only the games in which a local team plays. Tigers or Saints.

Or – pay attention now – the Tennessee Vols or Boston Red Sox or even Buffalo Bills.

(Used to cheer for the New England Patriots but Belichick makes it hard.)

The morning after was listening to the Jim Engster show on local National Public Radio station. He called the Saints’ victory a “momentous event in the history of New Orleans”. I thought Are you kidding me?!? It’s a football game!?! When we beat the bloody British at the town of New Orleans now that is a momentous event!

Now stop and think about it. Why do we care so much? When how and why did sports become so important to us that when our team wins a game or especially a championship we call it a “momentous event”?

My wife thinks I do not get it.

I understand partly why this is a big deal. It somehow represents hope. How often did members of the New Orleans Saints say something along the lines of “this is not just for us – this is for the people of New Orleans and the people of Louisiana”? Somehow when our team wins it represents pride. We do not say “the team won”. We say “we won”.

And in the case of New Orleans and Louisiana the Super Bowl victory also represents hope. We say “we are back”. We have come back from the devastation of Hurricane Katrina. At the least are coming back.

We can also talk about this in economic terms. How many millions of dollars have been generated because of all the excitement? People are making money. We certainly celebrate that.

To some extent sports represents “excelling at something we can do”. Hence the famous motto of the Olympic games is “Faster Higher Stronger” (Latin citius altius fortius). We have an ability that involves our physical bodies. (As well as our minds. How much of athletic competition is mental?) We work hard and train and practice. We do not just celebrate the victory. We celebrate the excellence.

“They lost but at least they played well”.

Back to the Donald Miller quote.

Why sports?

To what extent do sports give us a sense of importance? a sense of security? a sense that we are worth something?

Miller also writes:

The Fall has made monkeys of us, for crying out loud. Some of us are athletes and others of us are physicists, and some of us are good-looking and some of us are rich, and we all are running around, in a way, trying to get a bunch of people to clap for us, trying to get a bunch of people to say we are normal, we are healthy, we are good. And there is nothing wrong with being beautiful or being athletic or being smart, but those are some of the pleasures of life, not life’s redemption. (175)

“These are some of the pleasures of life, not life’s redemption”.

I am in the process of preparing for a series of Sunday evening Bible studies on the book of Ecclesiastes. A severely underappreciated book that might say two things to us that we hold in tension.

The New Orleans Saints won the Super Bowl?

This too is vanity…

This is what I have seen to be good: it is fitting to eat and drink and find enjoyment in all the work with which one works under the sun… this is the gift of God.

These are the pleasures of life. But they are not the salvation of our life – or of the state of Louisiana.

Nevertheless…

Who Dat???

(Oh yeah – shout out and love to Opinionated Catholic.)

Posted in Culture, Hebrew Bible, Sports | No Comments »

Toward a general theory of country music (which I am learning to like)

Wednesday, August 5th, 2009

How embarrassing. I am starting to like country music. Not only have a set one of the stations in my car to 101.5 FM – I actually turn to it sometimes when I am tired of NPR. This is largely because of a general characteristic of country music songs which my wife first pointed out to me.

Most country music songs tell a story.

Think about it. How many country music songs tell – in some form – a story?

“Where were you when the world stopped turning?” That was the last song before I arrived at the church this morning. Is it cheesy and sentimental? Sure. But it tells the story of September 11 and the various ways that people reacted or responded.

“You’re gonna miss this some day”. About what it is like to watch your children grow up. I happen to rather like this one. But then I am a parent and remember well what it was like to pace back and forth in our apartment in the wee hours of the morning wondering when this crying baby would ever get back to sleep. Strangely enough – I miss those days.

That “Love Story” song by Taylor Swift that drives me up a tree. But it tells the story of a young man courting a young woman and how eventually they can get married.

And so on.

Even when the story is about betrayal or getting drunk or broken relationships – there is a story. Something happens. It reflects real life and real situations that real broken human beings face. Therein we find glimmers of providence and grace.

There are exceptions – and these are worth noting. My kids sometimes watch country music videos on CMT. Have you noticed and heard that popular song “Wild at Heart” by “Gloriana”? Basically about going out with your buds and getting wild and that cute girl does not want you to stop at kissing.

Uh… what?!?

There is no story here that I can tell.

I am not prepared to say “songs with stories are good – those without are bad”. Nor am I quite able yet to articulate why this makes a difference. But is that not part of criticism – in the good sense of the word? Look at art music dance drama literature and so on and being able to look carefully at what is there? and to understand why some art seems more enjoyable/meaningful/powerful?

Compare this to much of what passes for “popular music” – which I can no longer stomach much at all. (And unfortunately this applies to much of “classic rock” which I do and still enjoy.)

Posted in Art, Culture, Music | No Comments »

NPR celebrates $20 gas and the forced hyper-urbanization of America

Monday, July 20th, 2009

Somebody please explain to me why I listen to NPR.

Friday afternoon listening to “Talk of the Nation: Science Friday” hosted by Ira Flatow. Talking with writer Chris Steiner author of $20 Per Gallon: How the Inevitable Price of Gasoline Will Change our Lives for the Better. The title is more or less self-explanatory.

Steiner laments the comparatively low gasoline taxes – which if higher would help fund our transportation infrastructure. Fair enough I suppose. But he has much more to say. How super expensive gasoline would force Americans (who live in the suburbs or the country and commute to jobs in the cities) to start moving and living closer to where they work. In other words force them to move into the cities. It would also force many airlines out of business and make air travel an expensive luxury. America would be forced to significantly expand and develop public transportation.

Hoorah For $20 Gas!

If you’re anything like me, you consider distance before getting in your car for a joyride, and hold your breath when it’s time to fill up. For many, there is a brace yourself moment of fear that the price of gas will mirror the four dollars a gallon horror we had to live through last summer. But according to author Chris Steiner, our lives would be a lot happier if gas rose to even the double digits. Seriously. We’ll give Steiner room to explain himself, and the title of his book: “$20 Per Gallon: How the Inevitable Rise in the Price of Gasoline Will Change Our Lives for the Better”.

Listen to Talk of the Nation: Science Friday July 16 2009.

My reactions to this are not entirely negative. Of course the United States needs to develop a better public transportation system. In fact conservatives should support this because conservatives want to see people get out and work and support themselves right? But for the working poor transportation is a major problem. They may not be able to afford new cars that are reliable. And if they (a) do not have a car or (b) have an old car in poor condition that is not reliable it becomes difficult to find and keep a job. The working poor need a public transportation system that is (1) fast (2) not expensive and (3) reliable. In fact not just the poor could use such a system and the result is less traffic less time wasted in traffic and less use of fuel. I would like to think political conservatives resonate with such goals.

It would also help foster the creation of community. People who live near each other and know each other. And give new life to downtown commerce – small businesses and shops which would provide goods and services to this growing urban population. When I talk with my Chinese friends most of whom are from cities they explain how cities are organized much differently in China. To a large extent people in China live near their places of work. And often within walking distance of the shops and businesses they use.

And Steiner also notes this will encourage Americans to use their bodies more to get from place to place. Walking and bicycling. He cites one researcher who argues there is a correlation between low gasoline prices and increased obesity. Again – fair enough.

What troubled me about Chris Steiner was how glad he seemed about the prospect of $20 gasoline and the changes it would force upon many Americans.

Let me share an obvious secret about expensive gasoline. It hurts poor people the most.

If you make $100k per year drive a large car and gas goes up to $5 per gallon – that is a nuisance. It probably means less money you are able to save for retirement or travel or college for your kids.

If you make minimum wage drive an old car and gas goes up to $5 per gallon – that is a disaster.

There is a reason – a good reason – why there are such things as income tax deductions. There are certain minimum unavoidable expenses involved in living in America. If it costs a minimum of $15k to live (housing food clothing and transportation to work) and you make $15k per year – then any increase in any necessary expense (gasoline) is a disaster you cannot absorb. Persons with higher incomes are in a better position to absorb increases in certain expenses.

So I do not quite understand why political liberals who supposedly care so much about the poor can without apparent hesitation advocate higher taxes for certain things like gasoline. “It will force Americans to buy more fuel efficient cars and drive less”. Well that is fine – if you are a middle or high income earner. You are in a better position to make those changes. It would hurt my family to buy a new car right now – but we could do it.

But the poor are much less able to make those adjustments. More expensive gasoline could mean not being able to make ends meet. They cannot afford to run out and buy a Toyota Prius.

Also – there are at least two huge reasons why many Americans live in the country and work in the city.

First – the cost of housing. There is a reason my family did not purchase a home closer to Louisiana State University. We cannot afford it. We can afford a home around $150k. Most small homes around the university or around the church campus run $250k and up. I cannot afford to live within walking distance of my work. Period. That simple.

(Now granted I would like to ride my bike – but Baton Rouge is one of the most bicycle-hostile cities I have ever lived in. Most roads and streets have no shoulders let alone no sidewalks. There is an ongoing campaign to push the city to make it more bicycle friendly and apparently they are getting results.)

People often live in the boonies or the suburbs because it is the only way they can raise a family in something other than a cramped one or two bedroom studio apartment.

In a bad neighborhood.

Which is another reason why people often live away from cities. To get away from the crime and violence. No not every part of every city is riddled with violent crime and other social pathologies. There is a reason why my family moved from Richmond to nearby Mechanicsville when I was in seminary. We did not enjoy beer bottles smashing through our bedroom window at night. Or being afraid to go for a walk in the evening.

So I am troubled by the apparent enthusiasm Chris Stein exhibits for watching millions of Americans being forced to move into cities. Ira Flatow read one email from a listener who said “I live in the country and commute 45 miles to work – what am I supposed to do?” Stein said (paraphrasing slightly) that “Americans have had the luxury of being able to choose to live in the country and work in the city – then you will not be able to make that choice and will have to live in the city”. It is easier for the relatively affluent – like the researcher that Steiner quotes – to move into decent homes in decent neighborhoods in the city. But not everyone can afford even an “attached townhome in central Greensboro”.

And while we are at it what about schools.

The forced hyper-urbanization of America.

In one sense I welcome this. One could argue that is how it should be – people live close to work. Cities should be beautiful dynamic places of culture and community.

But until we have a better handle on urban planning and urban life – and education and crime and housing and all the rest – do we really want to force Americans to live in tiny apartments in dangerous neighborhoods?

And elsewhere I have addressed that America is becoming increasingly divided along rural-urban lines. I take it NPR thinks it would be just grand to watch the further destruction of rural America and the growth of urban America – along with the growth of urban culture and urban sensibilities.

The more expensive it becomes to travel – the less free we become as a people. Deeply troubling.

Addendum: I searched the internet for any conservative critiques of Chris Steiner and his book. Most hits were at public radio websites – and most of those were pretty much the same text reproduced. I was not able to find much at all about Steiner and his book outside public radio websites. Very strange.

Posted in Culture, Economics, Media, Politics, Propaganda, Science | No Comments »

Growing urban-rural tension (or) Random thoughts from trip to Branson

Saturday, June 13th, 2009

My wife threatened to tell everyone at the church that “my husband has gone country”.

Nooooooo!

Well – sort of. There is a serious point coming. See below.

Got back last night – whole trip back on one day – from our first purely fun family holiday and to Branson Missouri. We had a fantastic time. One performer (showboat) described Branson as being “like Mayberry – except with a cover charge”.

I had never had any interest in going to Branson. Sounded like some over-commercialized country music drag strip. I have not cared for country music. Or crowded places. Or spending lots of money. Or heavy traffic.

There is a place in Harrison Arkansas you must stop at whether it is time for lunch/dinner or not. Their slogan is “we knead your dough”. Har har. No seriously. Fantastic food. Good prices. Killer muffins. Had Asiago Cheese Bisque on way up there and Five Star Mushroom on the way back. Yummy soup with two pieces of bread for about $4. Booyah.

Dinner first day at Ruby Tuesday’s. Why do I keep ordering big calorie laden burgers? Why?!? Excellent service. Worth paying $2 to watch my kids have a blast playing “Guitar Hero” at arcade. Strange that I should learn to enjoy KISS songs so late in life.

First night the show was New Shanghai Circus. Very good. Performers looked rather uncomfortable afterwards standing around for autographs and pictures. Apparently ta-men bu hui shuo ying-wen hao (they do not speak English well). Exchanged a few words in zhong-guo-hua with a young man. For some reason I enjoyed the drums most. Most people in the audience liked that the least.

Second day rode the “Ducks” (amphibious vehicles from World War Two) after first moving to our new place at Wyndham Resorts. (Family in church graciously let us use their unused timeshare points. In fact this is why we made the trip on short notice – free accommodations for four nights.) Thought $17 was too much for a one hour ride. No – it was a blast and lasted 1 1/2 hours. Well worth it. Make sure Bubba is your driver/guide or it ain’t worth going.

Second evening dinner at Danna’s. Eat there. Do not fail. Great food at reasonable prices. Pulled pork. No it was not kosher but it was yummy.

Next night saw Shoji Tabuchi. If you visit Branson – see it. Do not fail. It was outstanding. Very professional. Very entertaining. Bought some Japanese chopsticks in the gift shop because they are the best. Even Chinese people prefer them. Bring cash. Loved the drums.

One thought crossed my mind. Shoji learned to love country music while in Japan. And eventually became an American citizen. Everyone cheered. “What a great guy! He became a citizen of this great country!” How often do Americans become citizens of other nations? Would we cheer or label that person a feckless traitor? Imagine how difficult it would be for someone like me to become a citizen of the People’s Republic of China. We cheer when others do what we cannot imagine ourselves doing.

The segment in which he honored his son (who died age 19) and was for anyone who has “lost someone close to your heart” was touching and interesting. (Except for that wretched “If I Could Only Imagine” song.) Last year Jay Hogewood and I led a Jahrzeit worship gathering – one of the most significant things we have done here I think. It is important to acknowledge publicly death and loss and grief in ways that are appropriate and constructive.

Next day spent at Silver Dollar City. We got in for free. How? Some guy with season tickets had four unused guess tickets… waited for a family of four to show up… collared us (thought he might be a scalper)… offered us the four tickets. We saved $200. Then promptly waste(?) $60 on fast-passes (skip line at most popular rides) which we basically did not need or use. Had a great time. Enjoyed the toboggan ride (water slide in a raft) the most and did that about five times. Almost never a long line. I chickened out and would not go on the Powderkeg. (Zero to sixty in two seconds followed by… it looked absolutely freaking terrifying.) Wish I had gone for it just to show I could. Next time make sure you do the cave before you get too tired in the day. I would love to see some caverns.

No show that evening. Luigi’s Pizza for dinner. Excellent.

Last day we road the go-carts. This was the only “bad” experience of the trip. Basically not worth the money. Almost ten dollars per five minute ride on the track. You have got to be kidding me. We spent forty bucks and got the heck out of there.

Last night we were on the “Branson Belle” showboat. Fun performances. Excellent service. Dreadful food – do note! Severe stomach problems meant multiple trips to restroom and even missed some of the featured show by nationally known (animal) ventriloquist. Twenty nine Broadway songs in ten minutes with about as many costume changes was spectacular.

The one thing that was a bit hard to take was the “faith and freedom” schtick at the end. Complete with “Mine Eyes Have Seen the Glory” and pictures of an American flag waving next to a cross. Eegads. A bit much. And there was an Orthodox Jewish family a few rows in front of me. (Yes it was that obvious.) Do they have to club us over the head with God and Jesus and the American Flag?!?

A few general observations.

Service and hospitality are always exceptional in Branson. I wish it was like that in other places. We have had some royally bad restaurant experiences – including one in which after one hour we still did not have our food and not only did we leave we refused coupons for free meals from the manager. But in Branson they do everything in their power to take care of you and with a friendly attitude. Even when they “scold” you – like a ride operator explaining to a small boy why he should not unhook the safety bar of his flying chair before the ride is over I am not making that up – they do so politely and respectfully.

Good service means good tips and returning customers. They get that in Branson.

They did not jack up prices even though they could have. Meals in Branson are pretty much what meals cost anywhere else.

But at the same time they used every opportunity they had to encourage a few more dollars our of their guests. I was not offended but you start to roll your eyes after a while. Make sure you visit the gift shop! Twenty dollars for the picture of your family getting onto the boat! Fifteen percent is appreciated! Buy a compact disc or video disc before you leave!

Branson is extremely family friendly and family oriented. You can take your kids to pretty much everything and not worry about “adult” or off-color humor. In fact they make a point of this. “We believe in wholesome entertainment” is a direct quote from one master-of-ceremonies. I happen to appreciate this point and think Hollywood and New York City and Popular Culture in general should sit up and take note. Much of what passes for “entertainment” on the television less so the radio less so the movies is vulgar trash that more or less insults “middle America” its lifestyle and its values.

A few more specific observations

Branson is very very country. That does not mean people who are not country music fans cannot find fun things to see and do. But dang is it country. Hardly a drop of urban(e) sophistication to be found anywhere. Finding a bookstore took some effort.

I wonder if you could have rock shows or classical music or opera or “high” theater (stage drama) in Branson.

I admit being an elite snob in this respect. I sometimes looked around a souvenir shop and thought “what a bunch of tasteless kitsch”. Or looked at other visitors and – unfortunately – thought to myself “what a bunch of hicks from the sticks”.

Branson is also very very white. I did not say racist. What I mean is that you see predominantly white  people in Branson as workers and as visitors. Although a fair number of Hispanics/Latinos which is interesting. Few African-American people. Sometimes I was worried and wondered if people of color would not be comfortable there. But I think it has to do more with the “culture” (types of musical and other offerings) in Branson.

(Last night during the Country Music Awards my children came to get me all excited because there was an African-American country singer on at the moment. He was excellent and we were thrilled to see that.)

Some will find this next part a bit offensive.

Americans are fat. Not everyone. But when you go to the water park and see people in their bathing suits or go to the amusement park and see all these people walking around – some riding around because they are so ginormous they can barely walk – you think “good night people – what do you eat?!? do you ever exercise?!?” Are we an overfed nation? Do we eat more than we need? Do we eat just to have something to do?

And yes I could stand to lose a few myself.

But that also led me to think about nakedness and sex and desire between people – in a positive way. “No I may not be super handsome and yeah maybe I could stand to lose a few and I am pasty white but still you love me and want me just the way I am” is part of the purpose of marriage. Donald Miller nailed the significance of nakedness in his book {NEED REFERENCE}. It is also why pornography is so pernicious and destructive – it is not just about “sin” or “sex is dirty”. It is quintessentially anti-Trinitarian.

What does Branson suggest about American society and culture – and about the emerging urban-rural tension?

I am increasingly convinced that American society may be entering a period of increased civil tension.

Have you seen the map of the 2008 Presidential election results by county? The nation – geographically speaking – is mostly red for Republican. The blue for Democrat counties are primarily in urban areas. (Please do not assume I mean Republican-good and Democrat-bad although I confess favoring Republican at this point in time.)

2008 Presidential election results by county

2008 Presidential election results by county

Not a black-white thing. Not a North-South thing. Although there is a black-white dimension and a North-South dimension.

I am convinced that right now the American people are increasingly divided along urban-rural lines. City versus country.

And the lifestyles and values that – for reasons I do not really understand – seem to go with that.

And where does Popular Culture – television and popular music and movies – come from primarily? From the cities. From urban culture. When people like David Letterman or Katie Couric or Jon Stewart take shot after shot against (political or social) conservative figures – they reflect the urban culture of which they are a part.

See – when you listen to country music it generally reflects a different way of looking at the world and at life. God. Country. Family. Work. Money. And so on.

And Branson is very country. Almost single show and tour at some point made a big deal about honoring veterans – quite astonishing. (New Shanghai Circus was an obvious exception.) And most shows and places to visit at some point make reference to “faith” (unfortunately to faith of a particularly Protestant Christian variety).

I do not think African-American people are so missing from Branson because of their ethnicity. I think it has to do with the extent to which African-Americans may be part of “urban” culture.

Let me explain that a bit. My second year at Cornell University I lived in a special dorm called Ujamaa. About 130+ people. And I was one of three white people.

White students sometimes expressed surprise that I lived there. “You live in the black dorm? Did they make a mistake?” First of all no mistake – you have to apply to live there. I chose to live there and generally enjoyed it and learned a great deal.

Second – and more importantly – although about 95+% African-American I honestly did not think “black dorm” was as accurate as “the New York City dorm”. What gave Ujamaa its peculiar culture was not – in my opinion – the ethnicity of its residents. It was that most of them were from New York City.

I sincerely believe that two New York City people – one white and one African-American – will have more in common than two African-Americans – one from the city and one from the country. Some will say that is nuts. I could be wrong. But so far that is what I have observed.

I am on thin ice here. Because biblically speaking cities have a special significance. How often does the Bible refer to cities in a positive way? More than you might think. See Culture Making by Andy Crouch. Cities are especially important as places where culture is generated.

I am not entirely comfortable with these thoughts and observations. Because it sounds as if I am arguing “city bad – country good”. Cities are supposed to be holy and dynamic places where the kingdom of God happens in high gear. It troubles me deeply to think that in the year 2009 in the United States we have a growing conflict/tension between urban and rural. And urban is winning – largely because that is where much of our news and popular culture come from.

I could be wrong. What do you think?

Posted in Culture, Music, Personal, Travel | 2 Comments »