Weekend Concert 36: The Hero
2007/5/20 14:01:01
What kind of thing is a hero? History keeps turning this kind of thing into mere things. But no matter what kind of thing a hero is, this is an age where even this kind of thing can no longer be found. Without heroes, what remains is music about heroes -- and what's being played today are two such works: Beethoven's No. 5 Piano Concerto and his No. 3 "Eroica" Symphony.
A hero who conquers the world cannot necessarily conquer himself; he who cannot conquer himself will ultimately lose the world too. What a hero is doesn't really matter. For ordinary people, what matters far more than any definition is this: don't become a sacrificial offering for certain people to dye their heroic dreams with all of humanity's blood.
It doesn't matter what brand the so-called heroes are peddling -- freedom, democracy, all just condoms and electric toys waved across the sky. And when those so-called heroes ultimately become dictators, become garbage who use everyone's fate to satisfy their own fantasies, the only important thing to know is this: these people are nothing but titans with feet of clay. It was you -- every single one of you who lifted them up -- who brought it on yourselves. You deserved it!
Chán Zhōng Shuō Chán 2007/5/20 14:02:55
Happy weekend everyone. Still have things to handle -- can't say much more. Heading out first, goodbye.