Going Gong

I was reading the USA print version of The Epoch Times today. It's a free newspaper that the Falun Gong people hand out. They're members of that Chinese meditation sect that is being actively oppressed by the People's Republic of China.

I was surprised to actually be interested in 2 of their cultural articles. One was about an opera version of Cyrano de Bergerac coming to New York. The authors were Sharon Kilarski and Irwin Lehat.

Here's the quote from the article that really struck me: "I remember being heartbroken after finding out that Rostand's play, the most amazing drama I'd ever read, was not considered the highest example of literature. Instead his crfeator is deemed, 'a French playwright known for his light and entertaining style.' Pooh!"

Pooh, indeed.

They also had an article on Camille Paglia's new book about poetry, Break Blow Burn. The reviewer was Christopher Nield. Summarizing one of Paglia's points, he writes:

"Students are brainwashed into believing there is no connection between word and thing; meaning is arbitrary and literature little more than a game."

True, indeed.

Maybe I need to start reading the Epoch Times with more care and regularity. They look like such nice people handing out the paper. So warm and calm. Maybe I could try meditating with them. Lots of Objectivists get into meditation. Some Objectivists even become attached to secularized Buddhism. How different can the Falun Gong be?

I bet it won't be long
Before the Falun Gong
Has me writing rhymes
For their Epoch Times.