Re: Ask glenn?

[Kate Clunies-Ross <goldbergs@TALK21.COM>]

----Original Messages-----

From: Glenn Gould <glenngould@BEETHOVEN.COM:-
What one question, would you ask, Mr. Gould, providing hed answer it no
matter what it was? What do you suppose his answer would be?
----------
From: LoveGlenn <slw@CAPE.COM>
To: F_MINOR@EMAIL.RUTGERS.EDU:-
I would ask him if he read Ayn Rand, because he had the ideas of an
objectivist sometimes, and he just spoke like her in general.
They'd give 20 page answers on one simple question. Ha. Not a bad thing
though.
No idea what his answer would be.


I know very little about objectivism; I am no expert on philosophical
questions.  But I understand that it involves a kind of objective reasoning
and self-interest that proceeds from ones own sensory perceptions and
depends on the laws of pure logic. It rejects anything purely subjective, or
the idea that one can gain understanding through any kind of mysticism.

This does not sound at all like Glenn Gould. Although his writings show him
to be a highly intelligent man and an original thinker, there is definitely
a dimension to him that goes way outside these "objectivist" ideas.

For one thing, he was very interested in Zen Buddhism. This is hardly   a
way of thinking that relies on logic; on the contrary, it is subjective ....
a way of understanding reality ( and I won't even think of starting a
discussion here about the nature of Reality, which I think may well be
subjective too!)   that depends on developing the non-rational part of your
mind. If you like, it stresses the power and value of intuitive thought.
"Non-rational" of course is not the same thing as "Illogical". If you form a
concept by non-rational means, your understanding may be perfectly valid,
but it is not achieived by the usual step-by-step process of  "reason'"; and
by its nature, it might be very difficult to explain you train of thought in
so many words. Logic, on the other hand, does follow rules of reasoning and
can be explained verbally.

Logic is great, and necessary, of course;  I admire people who are capable
of logical thought, and in many ways society couldnt manage without it.
Where for example would science be without logical reasoning? But the
nonrational is also necessary to complete the fullness of our experience;
for example,  the appeal and value  of  Art is not something that can be
explained by logic alone. Music itself is non-rational; I think it is
impossible to explain the depths of feeling that it can produce, or describe
its effects adequately in words that would be accepted by all. It is a very
subjective experience.

But music is a form of communication, and this above all  is what interested
Glenn Gould,He wanted passionately to communicate with the world around him,
and it seems from childhood that music was his instinctive way to do this,
although words followed (and how!)

And objectivism seems to reject the concept of altruism. teaching that each
individual should only concern him/herself with creating his own happy and
productive life. Yet Gould was very concerned with others; he may have found
it difficult to relate closely to individuals, but he _cared_ about people
and wanted his work to help them. (I've said it often before, i personally
am profoundly grateful for the gifts he has given us.) Even in purely
practical ways (e.g. financially) he is said to have helped many others ,
such as young musicians struggling to get established; but he always wanted
this  help to be anonymous, he never sought praise for himself.  He may have
been supremely capable or organising his own life and earning whatever he
needed; but he appreciated that not everybody else was in the same position,
whether  this was due to curcumstances or their own  emotional  makeup. I
dont get the impression that he ever condemned others for their lack of
capability or success. I think he accepted people as they were, and did not
seek to impose on them an idealised concept of what they, or society  ,
"should" be like. We are all individuals: some are stronger than others.
That does not give them the right to impose their ideas or beliefs on those
around them.

And as for asking him just one question? I'd find that impossible. I'd hope
for a long conversation with him, during which time I hope many questions
would arise...that is, if I could get a word in edgewise :-)..what a
marvellous occasion that would be, to dream about!