Jack,
Your post brought to mind a concern I have about the way the humanities are viewed. The impression I get sometimes is that social sciences and humanities are seen as extraneous, not really vital, a "diversion" from the real work of living. I can tell that you are grateful for your exposure to these areas, and appreciate what they add to your life. But I worry that others don't realize how very important these things are to the nurturance of us as spiritual creatures, something more than beasts of labor.
I can understand the viewpoint of art as superfluous, a luxury, but pray that we don't allow a devaluation of the arts to some secondary tier of importance in life. The danger in that perspective is that without the dedication and commitment of some to those fields, and the support and respect of everyone for these efforts, we'll lose that part of us that is able to communicate abstractly and symbolically. Art can help us reach Rumi's field where "the phrase each other doesn;t make much sense". It is far more than a stress- reliever.
For those in the artistic callings, the work often IS their life- and often reflects our lives.
Of course, the artist in turn, should never denigrate the lawyers, the bankers, the businessmen for what they contribute. None is less vital, less urgent than another. When it becomes so, the balance is lost and we regress. |
