Links and Miscellania

Ben Franklin wrote of felicity, as in the enjoyment of life. With that same goal in mind, let me address one little dimension in the felicity of relationships. That would be music criticism among friends and relatives. This goes for all kinds of arts. Experiencing art is one of the graces in life. It involves active esthetic and intellectual, as well as cultural elements in the individual. That's quite a complex formula for anyone, in any locale or age. So, because all folks are different, they will appreciate art and music differently. If we're to live a life with the aim of promoting felicity, then we must tolerate other people's tastes and preferences. One of the qualities of being an acquaintance, or friend, or relative, is that the things we say to each other are stored in our memories. There's no controlling that. We remember. And because of this, we should try to limit our criticisms of art and music to positive statements