Life Lord of Lords
posted by on December 16 at 11:55 AM
Out of the few or so moments ago, one is worth sharing. In a large and busy Chinese restaurant in the middle of Chinatown, I’m sitting at a table with my daughter. We are eating dim sum: sticky rice, shrimp balls, chicken feet. From the speakers embedded in the elaborately coffered ceiling above us all falls the most hysterical part of Handel’s Messiah.
King of Kings, for ever and ever. Hallelujah! Hallelujah! and Lord of Lords, for ever and ever. Hallelujah! Hallelujah!King of Kings,
for ever and ever. Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
and Lord of Lords,
for ever and ever. Hallelujah! Hallelujah!g of Kings,
for ever and ever. Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
and Lord of Lords,
for ever and ever. Hallelujah! Hallelujah!King of Kings, and Lord of Lords,
and He shall reign for ever and ever
and He shall reign for ever and ever
However, the great enthusiasm of the angels above makes no impression on the ordinary Chinese chatter below. The table chatter is constant and earthly. People are neither excited or worried; they are just chatting. It is this all too human sound that Heidegger denounces in Being and Time (1926) and Virno praises in A Grammar of the Multitude (2003). And it is here, in this moment in the Chinese restaurant, we can see why Virno is right to praise chatter and Heidegger was wrong to denounce it. What Heidegger wanted to hear, and designated as authentic, was the enthusiasm of Handel’s angels; what Virno hears and admires in chatter is the hum of the human, the actual sound of others being in the world with others. (For Hannah Arendt, the table is a symbol of human sociality—”[it] relates and separates men at the same time.”) We can also see a reason for the change that occurred in the meaning of the word “silly”—it once described a person who was inspired by the spirit, who was full of the holy; it now describes a person who acts foolishly. Against the cool temperature of Chinese chatter, Handel’s heated angels sound silly.
My God is NOT made up! He's not I tell you! Not made up. NOT made up! Notnotnotnotnot! He's real he's real! Real! REAL!
Infinity! I win.
Handel
Handel's Messiah has been over done by every crappy choir on the earth.
It has been ruined and overplayed.
I really did not get this post though
and I'm late for a concert so no time to find the deeper meaning of the word silly.
Your daughter will eat chicken feet? That's cool. I always tell my kid she has a very sophisticated palate, but chicken feet she will not do.
I've always loved the bombast of a well done Handel's Messiah (emphasize well done), even though I'm an unapologetic atheist and know the words to be bullshit.
It is a crime that it is being played quietly as background music in a Chinese restaurant.
Charles, have you heard The Roches version of the Halleuigha Chorus? When they perform live, there is reverent sense that one remains silent. Youtube the '79ish SNL for a taste, or email me for copies of all of their LPs - no need for them anymore.
I agree that one should/ought to/have fun with chatter at a family and friends dining table. So exactly, my desire to gig as a background InstroMentalSoinger for Honey hole, Cafe Septieme or the like is where I'd like to dasein. Cool tip! Sanks!
All we like sheep. Or any other farm animal.
ah.....
the blessed becomes foolish.
A rule of sociology and as well etymology!!
The manner in which this dual truth is revelaed is...................
Chinese speakers snorfing dim sum fail to note a piece of music with deep meaning to Christians, Westerners, and classical music lovers.
Ahhh yes the inspired becomes foolish.
How gesaelig.
How silly.
How like this dim sum moment and the post it inspired!
I think that this would make for a great, context-establishing scene in a movie.
I never thought that Heidegger was denouncing everyday chatter, just drawing a distinction between the everyday and our rarer, more eigentlich moments.
what's all this philosophical BS? I want chicken feet!!!!!
This is the time of year that those of us who are devout eat spaghetti in His Name.
Oh Noodly One!
Didn't they try to sing it in the Chinese Restaurant in A Christmas Story?
No--I think it was Jingew Behws and Deck the Haws....
If your reason for asserting that Heidegger was wrong to denounce chatter is simply based on the fact that you prefer hearing the "cool temperature of Chinese chatter" over Handel's angels, then you're argument is silly. If anything, they're both worth denouncing.
(And your reference to tables was superfluous at best. FYI: The table as symbol for sociality was an idea that Hannah Arendt got from Heidegger).
You can always tell when a self-described philosopher is talking out their ass because they'll invariably bring up "authenticity."
Dim Sum is Latin for "I am not very bright".
Weird in the third chorus when you say they said "g of Kings" instead of King of Kings. I will have to listen for that but good listening skills. Now I know where ever you went for Dim Sum sucks since you said "middle of Chinatown" and the best Dim Sum is at a place east of Chinatown.
Whenever I heard that song I think of the Inquistion. It's depressing. I could be off by a hundred years or so.
Goddammit Community College!
Merry Christmas to you too, Charles.
This thread is making me hungry.
I didn't know shrimp had balls.
Comments Closed
In order to combat spam, we are no longer accepting comments on this post (or any post more than 14 days old).