In the virtual world we may be consumers, producers, or both. I remember some lyrics from a Robin Trower song, that goes like this:
“And that old stone keeps on rolling. Bringing me some new bad news. Takers get the honey. Givers sing, the blues”
I could easily wax philosophical for the next 1000 or more words bringing in all kinds of song lyrics, but how would they help me prove any kind of point. At this point I would like to say that many of the people have a certain love for what falls into the category of “Pop Culture”. For better or worse, many of us out there both in the real and the virtual world have been hopelessly brain washed by pop culture. If you really get down to it pop culture in some circles could be thought of as an oxymoron. Typically things that are popular, have really very little to do with culture, from the point of view defining culture as:
“A high degree of taste and refinement formed by aesthetic and intellectual training.”
These days I have been exposed to a rigorous kind of proving ground where any of even the beginning learners of Torah, are sometimes even encouraged to share their novel take on a particular piece (or pasuk) of Torah. A major difference when we discuss pop culture versus explaining nuance of meaning in Torah goes like this.
In popular culture, it is good enough if you could give over a set of lyrics, tune, poem, or lines from a movie, play, or television show, and somehow connect it, to the particular conversation you might be having. Often this might even be good enough to elicit some laughter.
In discussing ideas given in the Torah, one might share some learning, or cite a source which is connected with the particular pasuk, however then you have to explain its relevance.
The difference is when we share something we learn in Torah, we are coming head to head with 1000′s of other Rabbi’s of various levels of greatness. When we try to share our own personal take on the matter, we somehow expose ourselves to risk. Therefore we tend to need to be especially careful in our choice of wording. I think in part for some of these reasons, people often will hesitate to say what the think about the ideas that we learn in the Torah.
I have the benefit of learning from some teachers particularly at Hofstra University who’s ideas still stay in my mind till this day. One of my teachers in his class in the Literature in Translation department, was teaching a class in existential thought. He had taught us a method called automatic writing. This method explains that the hand is a very slow scribe, and part of this exercise is to simply allow your mind to wander. Then when you land on a thought, simply write it down. Then simply try to keep up by writing down everything that comes into your mind as fast as you can. That first thought, my professor explained is called the kernel or seed.
That being said, I feel I need to complete the original thought of this essay. When we enter the world of literature, Torah, lecture, poetry or prose as readers, we are benefiting from the hard work which the creator of the piece put into it. When we create our own unique piece of work, we experience the difficulties associated with sharing our own inner world with others Many times we may miss the mark, however if we do not take our shot we will never even come close.
Aharon Moshe (Stepehen) Sanders
January 1, 2009
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