The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com

Thursday, November 13, 2008 - 3S

The death of
the American
intellectual

Joe The Plumber seems like
a nice guy. He's easy to talk
to and he probably doesn't
ask too many questions (not that
he knows what
he's talking
about when
he does). But.
he isn'tcjust a
rhetorical icon
designed by
clever speech
writers to win CAROLINE
your vote; he HARTMANN
represents
something much graver for this
country: the death of the intel-
lectual. Sure, he's a handy guy
you'd like to have a beer with, but
what the hell would you talk to
him about? Don't worry, this isn't
an attack on the service industries
of America. And to be fair, Joe
sparked a media frenzy worth
giving credit to - but why? What
made this character such a ubiq-
uifous image in politics and pop
culture practically overnight?
We are living ina time when
it has somehow become popular
to be anti-intellectual. George W.
Bush essentially ran on a platform
of the "everyman," and an enor-
mous chunk of the population has
since decided that gut instincts
and moral convictions trump well-
informed opinions. But W. could
present his fancy diploma on cue
and did so when appropriate. Sarah
Palin, on the other hand, has taken
the message to a new extreme. This
is a woman who couldn't name a
single newspaper she read, and is
convinced human actions aren't
responsible for global warming.
The Republican party has paraded
her across countless stages to prove
that politicians can be relatable and
that intellectual prestige is some-
thingto scoff at (just look at what
happened to John Kerry).
Personally, I blame the religious
right, but there are plenty of rea-
sons to point fingers at the left, too.
Obama is part of the same song
and dance - he just does it better.
But this isn't an attack on par-
ticular politicians, either, because
they're not the reason we've come
to be swayed. We can imagine
their campaign strategies as
symptomatic or reactionary - not
necessarily the source of this new
cultural paradigm.
. "South Park" seems to get it:
The adult world as we know it
has been stripped of all common
sense and intellectual curiosity,
while the Stans and Kyles of the
world look on in confusion and
dismay at a society of morons. At
least that's the world according to
Trey Parker and Matt Stone. But
these days, it doesn't sound so far-
fetched.
Professors are accused ofbrain-
washing otherwise good-natured
students to become liberal mani-
acs, even if studies have shown
that college minds simply aren't
convinced so easily. We study
celebrity gossip instead of Sontag
and Kael and are spoon-fed our
Tchail

political news by comedy shows.
We can't even trust ourselves
enough to seek out our own sourc-
es of information when we're
craving it - we let Google Reader
do that for us.
There's nothing particularly
wrong with this "lowbrow" kind
of culture. I'm not suggesting we
all run out and buy black berets
to model ourselves after the Beat
Generation, but I can't help feel-
ing starved for an academic debate
some days, and I don't think I'm
alone. The issue has less to do with
the rise of supposedly low culture
and more to do with the lack of
balance between the two. I love
"The Soup" just as much as the
next guy, but it's easy to feel like
the everyman attitude is replacing
- and not just supplementing - a
seemingly lost spirit of inquisitive
and analytical reflection.
What we need is a modern
renaissance. But what could pos-
sibly induce such a turnaround? I
hate to sound anti-capitalist (who
doesn't appreciate a little retail
therapy now and then?), but it's
hard not to blame a culture of
consumption for such a prevailing
faith in the material. Maybe Hux-
ley was on to something: Consum-
erism isn't just a guilty pleasure or
a need to flaunt one's social status,
it's an ongoing distraction from
intellectual questioning. Targeted
market groups have replaced
deeper concepts of identity, and
the pressure to conform can pre-
vent us from pursuing studies that
are relevant to our lives. These
Trying to
balance high
and low culture.
days, college students are more
likely to go after an MBA than
earn a philosophy degree, and
who can blame them whn that
choice is so richly rewarded in
our society? An emphasis on early
education is key, but it's going to
take a more fundamental change
in the general mindset to re-
encourage a sense of respect for
intellectualism, no matter what
demographic you're part of.
I have no interest in wiping
out consumerism, and I'm not
trying to derail our penchant for
pop culture. But I do hope this
generation can achieve a healthier
equilibrium between the various
sources of information available
to us. You don't have to shed those
mass-market values, but don't let
them stop you from respecting
an intelligent point of view. Have
your beer with Joe The Plumber
and tune out for a few hours -
just don't forget to tune back in
once in a while.

The University Opera Theatre's performance of "Eugene Onegin" runs Thursday through Sunday at the Power Center.

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Classic opera and the fiance of his best friend,
Lensky.
laces pomp with Hearts are broken, friendships
are severed and dignity is lost, all
while the characters continue to
dance, dine and duel in the name of
By ELISE WANGER stolen love. Also, most importantly
DaityArts Writer in Russian drama, they all indul-
gently and incessantly state how
fall in Russia. Gold, bur- miserable they are.
and garnet leaves are scat- As ifduels, samovars,birches and
along the gray ground. Birch misery weren't Russian enough, the
the roses of performers also sing the entire pro-
in culture, duction in the original language,
over the Eugene which none of them have previ-
in impasto Onegin ously studied.
of black "(Singing in Russian) is a
rhite, pow- Nov.13 to daunting project and it's actually
sculptural Nov.16 been very inspiring, their ability
ft, yearning hitherP Pwer to embrace it - to not only learn
ouched. it, but be expressive with it,"
the music said director Joshua Major, the
orchestra slowly rises, two Director of Opera at the School of
omen enter, followed by two Music.
n simple, light dresses. The Yet the cultural and historical
men open their lips and real- aspects of "Onegin" can't solely
Its away as their voices blend account for why it has become a
harmony and nostalgia that timeless masterpiece and argu-
ly be Tchaikovsky. ably : Tchaikovsky's. best opera.
s is the opening scene of the "Onegin" is unique, especially in
rsity Opera Theatre's"Eugene its subtlety and poetry. For anyone
n," playing at the Power Cen- who hates the superfluous ten-
night through Sunday. The dency of opera - the unnecessar-
composed by Peter Illyich ily extravagant sets, over-the-top
kovsky and based on the acting and pointless spectacles of
novel by Alexander Pushkin crowds, horses and whatever else
same title, has become a clas- can fit onstage - this is the per-
Russia for its breathtaking feet antidote. The set has a clean,
ies and romantic sentiment. open feel, with stunning trees and
ow a group of students from warm lighting. Set changes are
hool of Music will bring the achieved through lighting and an
o Ann Arbor. additional piece of furniture. And
e any great Russian play of the best of all, the actors don't indulge
th century, "Eugene Onegin" in grand gestures or melodrama.
le of unrequited passions and The stereotypical' Brinnehilde
nsuming loves, where being in her Viking hat, boisterously
ith affectioncan actually lead dominating the stage, has been
th. Onegin is a well-educated replaced with an ensemble of
thrope constantly brooding empathetic youths who actually
ssatisfied. Tatiana is a simple engage with each other.
f the countryside who falls "It's really just a bunch of
ically in love with Onegin conversations, and there's only
ets rejected outright. Onegin a few operas like that in the
educes Olga, Tatiana's sister repertoire," said Major. "The

excitement is in the dialogue, the ing a subtitle and fall sway to the
transfer of ideas, the passions." power of the orchestra and voices.
Still, certain tiraditional fea- And since the piece was written
tures of opera are certainly pres- for the Moscow Conservatory,
ent. Massive choruses enter out the vocal parts were arranged for
of the blue, dances intermittently college-age singers, allowing the
break up the arias and maidens University cast to comfortably and
clump together to swoon and gig- elegantly work with the nmusic.
gle. But a deeper core, with real For those in need of a break
relationships and believable situ- from the onset of winter or crav-
ations, remains throughout. ing the catharsis of Russian
If these conceptual aspects despair, Tchaikovsky's opera
don't spark interest, no worries. will be a portal into the Russian
The show is enjoyable without countryside where lovers drown
the plot. One could sit and listen themselves in their own miasmic
to the music without ever read- swamos of emotion.


e

Hartmann hates stupid folk.
E-mail her at carolinh aumich.edu. For Love
FLOW. Of Water
HOW DID A HANDFUL OF CORPORATIONS STEAL OUR WATER?
Feauring aedssNOV. 16 & 17 ONLY
Featuring a panel discussion after the

 E GI
An opera about
unrequited love set to a
rich, passionate score
Sung in Russian with projected
English translations
University Opera theatre
University Symphony Orchestra
Conducted by Martin Katz
Directed byJoshua Major
November 13 at 7:30 PM .
November 14 & 1 at B PM
November 16 at 2 PM
POWER CENTER
Tickets $24 and $18,
Students $5 with 10
League Ticket Office
734-764-2538
rtrcia, eca

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