Reading Blog #2

The greatest scientist in the world questioned what we knew, and we gained Albert Einstein. The greatest politicians in the world questioned if a monarchy was the best government and we gained the Magna Carta. The greatest activist in the world questioned if the current system was righteous and he created a dream that is still being realized today. The greatest technology minds questioned what more we could do and now we sit here with powerful computers in our pocket. The greatest mathematicians and statisticians questioned what if we can do better and experimented with new algorithms and ideas. So why can't the greatest musician in the world be the one that questioned the idea of sound?

Everyone above saw what was going around them and asked themselves; ‘What if we can do better?’ John Cage did the same for music as Albert Einstein did for science, and MLK did for

equality. Cage looked around at the music that was being created and decided to do something different. In any other field that would be considered a pioneer, but today it still seems like Cage's work is revealed with disgust and aversion.

For the longest time music and art to me seemed very rigid in what exactly was considered music or art. There were rules and regulations and even scales for good and bad art. However, art like The Treachery of Images and specifically modern art makes me question if art is as simple as these rules that are put down. Why can't something as simple as silence be art? In my opinion if sound or visual art elicits a feeling from you, then it is art. “And the human race is filled with passion...poetry, beauty, romance, love, these are what we stay alive for.” (Dead Poets Society). If art makes you feel an emotion, no matter how weak or powerful, good or bad, then it is art. In that sense Cage’s music is full of emotion and in my opinion an amazing artist and should be respected as one.