4/24/08

Appearance vs. Reality


Appearance versus reality is an important theme in human life and discourse that is traceable to the ancients, including Plato’s “Allegory of the Cave” and even the stories of Noah, Job, and Elijah from among the ancient Hebrews. This theme is also relevant to so many of our assumptions regarding both music and education.

So often what we assume about our music students and teachers - or even about music itself - turns out to be wrong. It takes creativity, empathy, a familiarity with the dark side of human nature (deceit, delusion, etc.), a sense of humor, and a determination to be systematic and thorough, in order to stand some chance at finding the elusive “truths” in our field. This is perhaps the best justification for research.


Here are some hilarious video clips that illustrate this theme (don't worry - this was broadcast on American television and is not terribly risque):






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