Saturday, December 25, 2010

Why Not the Lagos Symphony Orchestra?


Video h/t: Instapundit
The London Symphony Orchestra presents a seasonal performance of the Hallelujah Chorus from Handel's Messiah, in the video above.

Handel was a German composer who transplanted himself to London, where he composed his greatest works, and where he was eventually buried in Westminster Abbey. Performances of Handel's Messiah are performed around the world near Christmas time.

What if cosmetic changes were made to the appearances of the singers and musicians in the video above, and the video were labeled "Handel's Messiah performed by the Lagos Symphony Orchestra?" Would you be surprised at the quality of musicianship, or by the ornateness of the performance hall? Would you be puzzled as to why Nigerians would celebrate Handel's Messiah? Would you be amazed that Lagos even has a symphony orchestra? (Lagos does have a symphony of sorts, in development)

Is it a mark of racism not to expect great performances from a Port-au-Prince Symphony Orchestra, or a Nairobi Symphony Orchestra? There is a Nairobi Symphony, by the way, although it can be difficult finding performances by the group on YouTube.

Why is it impolite to bring up such questions at faculty cocktail parties? You find symphony orchestras across East and South Asia, South America, North America, Europe, Australia, New Zealand... In countries large and small across the civilised world, orchestras form and fight to survive through good times and bad. Even Antarctica would have a symphony if the scientists, technicians, and explorers stayed longer and outposts were close enough together to bring enough talent together.

Take a look at the list of African symphony orchestras. North Africa has three countries with symphony orchestras, all with a past history of strong European influence. South Africa has multiple symphony orchestras, but most of them will no doubt suffer the fate of the late Rhodesian symphonies. Kenya claims two orchestras, but they were no doubt formed under British colonial rule, and are likely struggling to survive. Ghana claims a symphony orchestra, but its website has not been updated since 2004.

No doubt it is quite gauche to discuss such a topic -- especially on Christmas -- but how do humans expect to solve their problems if they are unwilling to look at them clearly and unblinkingly?

Rapid growth in low IQ populations coupled with an implosion of high IQ populations results in a steadily decreasing global IQ. Low IQ populations combined with fanatical religions of conquest such as fundamentalist Islam lead not only to an Idiocracy, they lead to a violent Idiocracy. And while the Idiocracy movie was funny, it was not realistic. Coming idiocracies are almost certain to be very violent.

Every tax, regulation, law, and court judgment that leads to a re-distribution of wealth and resources from productive sectors to the coming Idiocracy, is dysfunctional. Political correctness is helping to bring about a coming anarchy, a growing Idiocracy. You may not be able to stop it, but for the sake of a decent future, stop voting for it!

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