April Meeting:
Music in our Everyday Lives
Our April meeting will be all about
music. GO member Ann Baldridge will conduct an interactive presentation
entitled “Music in our Everyday Lives.” She will talk about what
music is, why we need it, and what it can do for each of us.
In addition to discussing Ayn Rand’s
and others’ views of music, she will play recordings of beautiful
music from different genres. Ann encourages everyone to bring a song or
two that they consider meaningful and explain what music means to them
or why that particular piece is important. You can bring music of any
style or genre, either CD or cassette, and preferably not too long.
Join us on Saturday, April 21, at 8 p.m.
at the home of Joy & Jeff Kiviat for this entertaining evening. We
may even have a surprise mystery harp player in attendance! There will
be plenty of snacks and discussion after the music. Call (314) 469-2723
for directions.
“Destination Moon”
At our last meeting, we watched the 1950
movie “Destination Moon.” Bob Greene gave a short presentation about
the film, the book it was based on, and the author and screenwriter,
Robert Heinlein.
The movie, about the first attempt to
land on the moon and the problems in trying to return to Earth, shows
very little similarity to the book, “Rocket Ship Galileo,” according
to Bob, although both are captivating. Heinlein, who wrote the book in
1947, was the first science fiction writer to be published in the
mainstream press, as opposed to pulp magazines. He is also, according to
many, the man who made science fiction respectable. “Destination
Moon” is also considered to be the first serious sci-fi movie ever
made. The dialogue includes references to physical laws and discussions
of thrust, as well as the technical considerations of how to land on the
craft on the moon’s surface.
Bob said that the quintessential Heinlein
characters could be taken straight out of a Rand novel. The character
Jim exudes a “ruthless rationality and complete contempt for
stupidity.” In fact, in all of Heinlein’s work, the focus is on an
intellectual problem that desperately must be solved with rationality.
Heinlein’s deep sense of honor and love for the United States and his
own contempt for government bureaucrats shows through in his characters,
especially in “Destination Moon.” Bob has found that no one comes
close to Heinlein in terms of technical accuracy and seriousness, when
it comes to science fiction. While watching, it’s easy to see how this
one movie influenced modern filmmaking, especially the blockbusters
“Star Wars” and “Jurassic Park.”
Get Ready for the TOC Summer
Seminar
This year, the Objectivist Center’s
Summer Seminar will be held at the University of Pittsburgh-Johnstown
from June 30 to July 7. The 12th annual event will feature lectures,
workshops and participant-sponsored sessions, as well as plenty of other
activities for a complete Objectivist experience.
Some of the courses available this year
include the six-session “Essence of Objectivism” by William Thomas,
the six-session “Perennial Questions of Objectivism” by David
Kelley, “Do Americans Still Value Freedom?” by Edward Hudgins,
“The Art of Fiction” by Susan McCloskey, “Sacred Sex” by Amy
Hayden, and “How to Have Kids and Not Regret It” by Charles
Tomlinson.
As a highlight this year, participants
can visit Fallingwater, Frank Lloyd Wright’s residential masterpiece
and one of the most famous homes in the world. John Gillis, who will
lead the excursion, also presents a lecture on romantic realism in
architecture at the seminar.
For more information, visit http://www.objectivistcenter.org/seminar/sem01.asp.
We welcome submissions of reviews, articles, columns and commentary.
Direct all correspondence to gwobjctvst@aol.com.
|