A Rose-Colored Mind

"Orff and Keetman became the vehicles to express a deep need in Western culture, the need to rejoin all that had been torn asunder by the specialist nature of European civilization. The angst of contemporary alienation springs from the deliberate practice of isolating heart from mind from body, child from adult from elder, music from poetry from movement. The deep wellspring of the Schulwerk [Orff's method] is the invitation to drink from its healing waters and rediscover the intrinsic wholeness we once knew." -- Doug Goodkin from Sing, Play and Dance

What a load of horse shit!

Let's start with that doozy of a first sentence.  The "specialist nature of European civilization" has to refer to the scientific method, which seeks to break down observable phenomena into explainable parts. Specialization is required because the universe is vastly complicated and our lives are finite.  Here's the deal though: NOTHING has been "torn asunder" by the scientific method or rational thought. In fact quite a lot -- say the whole modern world (including the wealth and leisure time to teach music) -- has been created by it. Without the specialist nature of science, we would still be living the poor, nasty, harsh, and brutal lives of the middle ages and ancient times. The technology provided by modern science gives anyone with the slightest bit of interest the most powerful music making tools known to man. What's the point of going backwards?

Moving on. Most people hardly feel alienated in the modern world. Millions really enjoy it, truth be known. Billions would cut off their own left arms to be allowed in the club. This angst the second sentence speaks of is highly over-reported. Why? Because it sells and makes good television. There is no deliberate practice of isolating heart from mind from body. It is literally impossible, for the "heart" is really emotions which are generated in the brain, along with the "mind" or logical thought. Both of these are inextricably linked to the state of the body, which provides all the stimulus and physical materials the brain uses. In today's world with umpteen kinds of psychology and neuroscience, we are just beginning to understanding how deep the connections go. With regards to separating child from adult from elder, children today have plenty of interaction with adults. No one is being segregated what with mandatory schooling, after school and weekend activities, community service, and goodness knows what else. In fact I would say there is even more mixing of generations today, as children of yesteryear were frequently ordered to work/amuse themselves while adults did their own work/business. Lastly separating music from movement is overblown as well. Ancient musics had many purposes, some utilized movement, and others did not. We can move without hearing music, why can't we listen to music without moving?

"...drink from its healing waters and rediscover the intrinsic wholeness we once knew." Here's a little insight: The past was never as pretty as the Romantics painted it. I doubt anyone anywhere in the past, aside from a handful of lucky Buddhist monks, experienced any kind of "intrinsic wholeness." They were instead plagued with angst and worry about surviving until the next day, week, month, season, and year. Moments of happiness and contentment back then were few and far between. Most thoughts were mundane and depressing to modern eyes. The author is trying to invoke an idealized past history that never existed, and no amount of wishing can conjure. Just like Dewey and Rousseau and all the other well-intentioned but not-so-smart educationalists.