A First Round of Conversation

Claire: "Rather hard to follow, isn't he?"

Kurt: "Well, there is certainly an off-the-cuff momentum to all of it. He is adopting the tone of the commentator, but at once only reacting to stimuli. There is no particular theme adopted, and as a result there are some rather dubious logical leaps."

Claire: "I think it is very earnest.”

Kurt: "You would"

Ethan: "What concerns me is that there is an undercurrent of angst evident. It is almost like a teenager scribbling furiously into a diary, proclaiming the unfairness of the world because parents are unforgiving. And, worst of all, it is just discourse disguised as educated opinion. He has produced the very thing to which he seems so opposed- an opinion which is little more than that. He is no expert in anything he proclaims to be. It is simply a series of questions, with little or no input being offered. There is an extended rumination about high ideals, and yet in the opening words, he cannot but concede that he is inescapably a member of this world. Discussing Aeschylus and Bellville? Indeed."

Lester: "Sorry, I wasn't listening. What are you lot on about?"

Kurt: "Why do you even come to these things, you prick?"

Stuart: "I would greatly appreciate it if you would refrain from such uncouth language."

Kurt: "You? Again? Well, I am sure you would greatly appreciate it..."

Claire: "I like the idea of advertising exploiting retro-packaging to sell their product in hard times. I had never thought of it, although it certainly does make sense."

Ethan: “Have you never heard of that before? I don’t know where I picked it up, although I would be interested to hear whether the marketing courses make mention of the ploy. It does make sense though, doesn’t it? It is really just an extension of the ‘think good things, and good things will happen to you’. Maybe I am just incurably suspicious of any sort of self-help that is cleverly guaranteed to change our lives. Then again, I always half thought that it was fairly self-evident that having a positive attitude generally makes things easier. Anyone who plays any sport will know that if you convince yourself you are going to lose before you start, you’re probably not in the best place prior to the commencement of the match.”

Claire: "But I don't understand why I should apologise for enjoying romantic comedies? We can't all be disciples of Jean-Luc Godard and Gus van Sant, and in any event, to be relentlessly intellectual is far too exhausting for most people. Not everyone is excited by a brain that can never be turned off."

Kurt: "I don't think you've understood the point though. I think what he is trying to do is ask the question that although some may get immense enjoyment out of simple romantic comedies, do we not still owe it to ourselves to try and watch, every now and then, something a little more difficult? Something that is going to challenge, as opposed to being predicable?"

Lester: "But not everyone is determined to muse over the "hard" questions. Some of us just want to sit back and relax."

Ethan: "The question is then whether that just constitutes laziness, and, as a consequence, a general depreciation in our society."

Kurt: "Ah yes, but we are not all great leaders, or scientists, or authors or whatever. Most of us are nothing better than average, and are content not to offer any lasting legacy to history. Beyond our teeming offspring, of course..."

Ethan: "I do believe that you have just revealed the exact complaint that is being raised. The fact of the matter is that we, as a people, are as decidedly average as we have ever been, and in fact there has been far less development in our race over the past thousand years than we would like to pretend. I don’t doubt that that argument is perhaps not sustainable if faced by particular instances, and yet, somehow, I cannot help but fear that the human condition remains as debased and simple as ever.”

Kurt: "I suppose one has to take into account the "Reach for the Stars" type attitude popularised by the American Dream. Let's face it, this is a world wide phenomenon now, where everyone is ingrained with the idea that one can do anything if it is desired enough. This is nonsense, of course, but people need to find that out for themselves."

Stuart: "And let us just leave aside any comment on the quality of those shows, as being completely irrelevant for what we are discussing here."

Lester: "But, by the same token, I feel that I need to watch Jerry Springer, as I need to keep in touch with what is going on, see what I am up against. And besides, its fun watching rednecks screw up their lives."

Kurt: "Cynical, non? I do believe we have an elitist lurking in our midst."

Claire: "But even if the American Dream is wishful, is it a bad thing for people to have aspirations? I cannot help but think that there should be an element of self-improvement evident in all people, however I do not agree that the only means of that improvement lies in intellectual pursuits."

Ethan: "What is the alternative then? Isn't it just narcissism to spend all one's time exercising, just to make sure one looks good? And although selflessness is perhaps a noble pursuit, and something to aspire to, I don't know that it is realistic, given our capitalist climate. In addition to which, I just don't believe that all people are capable of such a giving nature. Call me a cynic, I guess."

Charles: “Moral development doesn’t necessarily require intellectual sophistication.”

Kurt: “He speaks!”

Ethan: “Religion is simply the opiate of the masses.”

Kurt: “But you are just an arse"

Stuart: “But do we really want to go down the road of religion? We could really be getting into a debate on the value of religion, and the increasing secularisation of the modern world. The churches are in crisis, as they fail to appeal to a number of the youth of today, as well as answer many of the more liberal ideals that are becoming regarded as common place in society. Does this mean that as our moral code fails, there is an increasing threat of anarchy? Or is this simply an over-reaction to the problems of religion, as it is only those people who regard themselves as “educated” that show increasing disillusion with the Church, and in fact, amongst the masses, faith is as strong as ever?”

Claire: “Did any of you read that article on the NY Times about some of the places people are opting to go to on ‘date nights’? Little out of the way takeaways, the idea being to emphasise the informal, keep it cheap, but also be able to do something a little different.”

Ethan: “Now there is a non-sequiter if ever I have heard one…”

Kurt: “No, I didn’t see that. But then I can’t say that I browse the news for things like that…”

Claire: “Liar. By the way, I think E-News is on right now”

Lester: “I know, and did you see what she was wearing whilst she was walking her dog? I mean, honestly, darling if you have to pick up your dog’s crap, at least be stylish whilst you do it!”

Claire: “Har har”

Ethan: “Now, now, children. For all the soreness of the topic, I think there are many more closet romantics than most will ever admit. But, even I have to say that there was a line in the article where the interviewee “sighs” and says something about her being “too in love for own good”. I wanted to throw up.”

Stuart: “Does this mean that religion is no longer a question that people are interested in discussing?”

[silence]

Stuart: “Hmphff, I have my answer then.”