We men of “historical sense,”
we do have our virtues – this cannot be denied.

We are unassuming, selfless,
modest, brave, full of self-overcoming,
full of dedication, very grateful, very patient, very accommodating:
– but for all that we are, perhaps, not very “tasteful.”

Finally, let us admit to ourselves:
what we men of “historical sense” find the most difficult to grasp,
to feel, to taste again and love again,

what we are fundamentally biased against
and almost hostile towards,
is just that perfected
and newly ripened aspect of every art and culture,
the genuinely noble element in works and people,
their moment of smooth seas and halcyon self-sufficiency,
the gold and the coldness seen in all things that have perfected themselves.

Perhaps our great virtue
of historical sense is necessarily opposed to good taste,
at least to the very best taste,…

Beyond Good and Evil, by Friedrich Nietzsche, trans. by Judith Norman, aphorism 224

To have “good taste” or taste is something that I have desired. Taste, the capacity for discrimination is learned. Exposure to examples of excellence, and if one is fortunate, apprenticeship is best. One learns the difference between the superlative and the mediocre by training of the eye, or more precisely, the ability of the body to recognize, to appreciate beauty and meaning and truth. To digress a bit, truth does not have a univocal definition as far as I can tell. Truth depends upon the culture, the way of life, or a “form of life” as Wittgenstein said.

Born in 1949, I am a post-WWII baby boomer. An American, I grew to maturity in the quintessential nation of multi-culturalism, a democratic mixing of every culture. We are a nation of immigrants. Here each of us brings our customary ways, our valuations. Now in the early 21st century, we Americans are adept at sampling of the flavors, the art, the styles, the architecture, etc. of every culture, not excluding those of antiquity. We are appraisers, evaluators of what others value.

Nietzsche characterizes us as men of “historical sense.” He dashes off a list of character traits that many Americans believe true of themselves. In a culturally diverse environment, difference is the rule, therefore we develop a self that is unassuming, selfless, modest, brave, full of self-overcoming, full of dedication, very grateful, very patient, very accommodating to make allowances. This middle-of-the-road attitude, blasé, spiritless, a consequence of the cultural mashup, is beige America. Can you think of a distinctively American icon, anything valued over generations to perfection in coldness, shimmering gold?

What is scarce here is no less than “taste.”

The tune demonstrates excellence in form and content that words are inadequate to describe.  Have You Seen Her by The Chi-Lites.

What do you think?