MobileRead Forums - View Single Post - Where are the great 'thinkers' and 'creators' salons today?

Lynx-lynx · 06-19-2013, 02:43 AM

I'm pleased to see this thread bubbling along - thank you all for your contributions.

I can't get onto this Forum much of late, but my question was genuine and the subject of 'real' chatter around me for some time over many occasions. (I allocated time last night to respond to this thread - and darn - the maintenance thingo was happening).

My perspective is that neither class nor money are influences to the meeting of minds for a chatter, and that these conversations can take place by accident as well as in planned events.

I hadn't really considered the large venue events or work organised events as mentioned by several posters .... they seem rather a monologish construct, albeit with questions taken no doubt. But if they are avenues for some to absorb and appreciate new perspectives (irrespective of a dialogue between all of the individuals present) then that's what works for them.

@Harry I take your point re the Salons of centuries ago with respect to the idle rich, but I consider that talented people, irrespective of their field are probably never idle for long.

So, what I'm gathering so far is that there's a broad dispersal of thinking going on, via different comms media, and reaching audiences who happen to find that media or who have been invited to attend eg workplace (or other) talk by a given person/s.

I guess also, that people of a similar talent ilk, eg painting or photography etc tend to hang around together and would be more likely to know (and perhaps attend) functions/activities where the really talented in that genre go to hang out. Like the writers who hung out at Les Deux Maggots, or Gertrude Stein's place in Paris (also known as a Salon, from memory).

On another point - I don't think politicians have any claim in the great minds category (not while in politics), but of course, that is a selective judgement. And nor do I think political discourse as a topic of chatter has any more right of place or consumption of quality chat than any other topic. I do think that all topics are on the table for discussion though.

Enough from me!

06-19-2013, 02:43 AM	#17
Lynx-lynx Treachery of images ... Posts: 4,149 Karma: 94320195 Join Date: May 2012 Location: Australia Device: Sony 650, Kobo Glo, H2O, Aura One, Forma, Libra 2, Libra Colour	I'm pleased to see this thread bubbling along - thank you all for your contributions. I can't get onto this Forum much of late, but my question was genuine and the subject of 'real' chatter around me for some time over many occasions. (I allocated time last night to respond to this thread - and darn - the maintenance thingo was happening). My perspective is that neither class nor money are influences to the meeting of minds for a chatter, and that these conversations can take place by accident as well as in planned events. I hadn't really considered the large venue events or work organised events as mentioned by several posters .... they seem rather a monologish construct, albeit with questions taken no doubt. But if they are avenues for some to absorb and appreciate new perspectives (irrespective of a dialogue between all of the individuals present) then that's what works for them. @Harry I take your point re the Salons of centuries ago with respect to the idle rich, but I consider that talented people, irrespective of their field are probably never idle for long. So, what I'm gathering so far is that there's a broad dispersal of thinking going on, via different comms media, and reaching audiences who happen to find that media or who have been invited to attend eg workplace (or other) talk by a given person/s. I guess also, that people of a similar talent ilk, eg painting or photography etc tend to hang around together and would be more likely to know (and perhaps attend) functions/activities where the really talented in that genre go to hang out. Like the writers who hung out at Les Deux Maggots, or Gertrude Stein's place in Paris (also known as a Salon, from memory). On another point - I don't think politicians have any claim in the great minds category (not while in politics), but of course, that is a selective judgement. And nor do I think political discourse as a topic of chatter has any more right of place or consumption of quality chat than any other topic. I do think that all topics are on the table for discussion though. Enough from me!