Tuesday, January 20, 2009

True Originality

We were discussing the inauguration in my 401 Capstone class just a little while ago and I was struck by the fact of how often Obama and what happened today has been compared to history. For those of you who were perhaps abducted by aliens and have missed the entire last year, Obama's slogan has been "Change." After the discussion in my class, I have to wonder just how original that change will be (if there is any to begin with). Will anything that he does be truly new and wondrous? Or will it simply be the same events and decisions that have occurred and reoccurred over the centuries with new places and new faces? Have there been any original thoughts since the dawn of man?

For me the word "classic" has always had connotations that whatever is "classic" is original, the basis for whatever follows. Yet, if there has been no more originality since the start of mankind, then how can anything but those things that existed at that moment in time be considered "classic"? How can the Rolling Stones be considered "classic"? How does something gain the designation of that all powerful label "classic"?

Any thoughts? Any original thoughts?

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