I agree! The tiny but true wisper of imagination is drowned out by the
loud but empty shout of televisionshoppingmalland.

On Wed, 29 May 1996, Anne Lane wrote:

> Just a few points regarding this (free = worthless) (?) discussion.  We four
> children were taken to libraries and museums practically from birth, and as
> a result of being indoctrinated thusly into our parents' value systems we
> don't know any better than to value museums and books. (I was also kept
> quiet as an infant by the playing of the Brandenburg Concerti, and therefore
> have had to maintain a love of classical music in the face of a hostile
> world.)  As far as not valuing something because it is free or cheap, the
> basic problem there is that how much it costs is the only criterion most of
> society has been equipped with for evaluation.  If a society is not taught
> from birth to value time, training, craftsmanship, skill, practice,
> tradition, any and all of the trappings of history and culture, then sure,
> the mall will win out over the museum every time.  But shucks, now you're
> going to ask me what to do about all this, and gosh darn, I just don't have
> any answers that won't take generations to put into practice.  And by then
> will the world have changed beyond all recognition and none of this matter
> any more?
> Anne Lane
> Curatorial Assistant
> Museum of York County
> 4621 Mt. Gallant Road
> Rock Hill, SC  29732-9905
> 803-329-2121 ext 122  *  [log in to unmask]
>