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Show 2 Signpost-Friday, May 20, 1988 America peculiar says prize-winning historian Lynn Martineau Asst. Sports Editor With regard to the other nations of the world, ours is a peculiar nation. There are a number of features that distinguish America's history from most of the other countries of the world. Some of those peculiarities are: America's brief history, self-consciousness, scenic spiead and the fact that we are a nation among nations. Daniel J. Boorstin addressed some of those peculiarities in his lecture at the Wildcat Theater last Tuesday. "We are a non-idealistic nation - a nation that questions itself," said Boorstin. Boorstin is a librarian of Congress Emeritus, a former senior historian of the Smithsonian Institution and a Pulitzer Prize winner for his work: "The Democratic Experience". "The Democratic Experience" is a volume taken from Boorstin's "Trilogy of the Americas". "The Colonial Experience," which won the Bancroft Prize, and "The National Experience," winner of the Parker Prize, complete the trilogy. Boorstin has written a number of historically oriented works including "The Discoverers," which was on the New York Times best sellers list for six months. However, Boorstin said,"The best books are the ones you have not yet written." The unwritten book has no typographical errors, he said. "I have been trying to write a world history which is The Signpost Staff Editorial-Advertising-Production Spring Quarter 1988 Edltor-ln-Chlef Contributing Writer Chris J. Miller Mickey Beck Managing Editor Donna Brown Revo. Smith Joe Francis New Editor Kathryn Ward Ethan Yorgason Photo Editor 8 port Editor Lany Jensen Blaine Brlnghwst Chief Photographer Entertainment Editor Jud Bundy Yun Hid Pak Photographer Weekend Editor Matt Butler David R. Allison Hal Moore Sign-Off Editor Graphic Artist JaNae Barlow Michael Christensen Special Project Editor Steve Thorpe Katy Frandsen Advertising Manager Copy Editor Jolet Olsen Maryltn Blakely Sale Representatives Debbie George David Burns Susan Walker BryanWUley Assistant Editor Production Staff Mike Butler Brian Bouwhuts Coral Lou Glenn Kentt Hepworth Lynn Martineau Kristen Olsen Scott SummertU Andrea Pkanley Pete Tesch Curtis Spackinan. JlU TUensor Eric Swedin Staff Reporter Madsa WesntUer Tony Butler Distribution Ray Bdard S. Lenny Sturgeon Donna Green JeffBybee Marklladley Advisor Charles Harrington P. Larry Stahle Debra Luby Assistant Advisor Karen Packham Franceen Jones Publisher Secretary Randolph Scott Leisel Wayment The Weber State CoUege Signpost i published every Monday, Wednesday and Friday during fall, winter and spring quarter, and once a week during the summer quarter by the WSC Department of Communication. Editorial content appearing in this publication is that of the taff or guest contributor and doe not necessarily reflect the view of Weber State College in general. The Signpost is distributed free of charge and Is available by subscription for $9 per quarter. The Signpost offices are located in the Union Building in U.B. 267. Mail correspondence should be sent to: WSC SIGNPOST Weber State College Ogden, Utah 84408-2110 Edltor-tn Chief 628-7111 Advertising Department ' 626-63 :8 News Department 626-7105 1 Entertainment Department 626-7105 Sport Department 626-7983 not about wars, empires and material products, but about the search for fulfillment, what I call the 'Quest', " said Boorstin. The first part of that history is "The Discoverers" (man's search to know the world); the next part will be called "The Creators" (the search to enhance the world through the arts). Boorstin asked what is meant by the discovery of America. "We were founded in the bright light of history ... we have been deprived of some of the incentives to epic and legend (that are so critical to the history of other nations)," said Boorstin. America is a nation among nations. "It is so, and I hope it always remains so - a nation that welcomes people from all over the world," he said. The diversity of the population within the United States is the reason this country can have no real foreign policy. Boorstin questioned whether we can have a policy that expresses the preferences of all of the various domestic groups in America. The final peculiarity addressed by Boorstin was that of America's success. "We have been a nation of success despite all of our decadence and decline. The fact is, our nation has been spectacularly successful and therefore is the target of the world's envy," said Boorstin. "While totalitarian states tend to exaggerate their virtues, democratic states tend to exaggerate their vices," he said. Boorstin spoke of three metaphors which have been used to describe the making of America: the irony of discovery, the idea of invention and the idea of creation. "One of the peculiarities of the American history Reva Smith Managing Editor The 70-year-old man with bushy hair, mustache and eyebrows, walked on the stage, stared at the silent audience, then turned, walked off, and began to clap behind the curtain, reminding the Convocation attendees that he was the great author, Mark Twain. The audience responded appropriately with a round of applause. Actually, the impersonation was the work of comedianactor Parker Drew, whose first performance as Mark Twain was in a ninth grade speech competition. Smoke filled the air as Twain, well-known during w .a JfTLnow thru Sat May 30 is only $9. All work is completed Dy trained students under the supervision of our licensed professional staff. Limited otter. ...phone Stacey's Hands of Champions behind the Newgate Mall. L-..:::;iyiriHEi'''",ii experience has been our temptation to emphasize heavily the concept of discovery and the concept of invention. We like to think we know where we're going and can describe the consequences of our acts," said Boorstin. Quoting. Mark Twain, Boorstin said, "It was a wonderful thing to find America, but it would have been more wonderful to have missed it" Boorstin described discoverers as people who go in search of what they expect or think they know is out there. On a more humorous note he said, ." Invention is any thing that can produce a race to the patent office . . . or any kind of innovative activity that is especially profitable to the legal profession." Boorstin said invention is something aimed toward a predetermined , purpose; the battle is getting there first. He also noted that it is almost impossible to un-invent, withdraw, or negate an invention. Boorstin said, "The hallmark of creation is that the creator is never fully aware of the nature or consequences of his creation." Boorstin suggested that Shakespeare , could not have foretold the nature of Hamlet without actually writing the play. Art starts with the dissatisfaction of the artist, and the artist defines his own problem. Boorstin concluded his lecture with his motto as it was suggested by George Burns' work, "Back to Methuselah," wherein the serpent addresses Eve in the Garden of Eden saying: "When you and Adam talk, I hear you say why, and I (the serpent) dream things that never were and say, why not?" his life as a lecturer and humorist, puffed away on his cigar and gave the audience his philosophies of religion "My religion does not condone total abstinence, we believe in reform, but not to excess;" of health "Don't read health books. You could die of a misprint," and of the afterlife "I do wonder about those in hell. Where do they tell people to go?" Twain also gave a brief history of his life and how he became involved in writing. He was unemployed, living in San Francisco, and was very' particular about' what kind of job he wanted. "I didn't want to work, so I became a reporter." Scuffling across the stage, Twain said, "I write classics. Classics are books everybody praises and ' nobody reads." He also told of the time his wife tried to cure him of his habit of profanity. But, as he told her, "If I can't swear in heaven, I won't go." In conclusion, Twain told the audience, "This is my first outing in your beautiful state, and it'll be very nice when it's finished." WRITE a letter to the Editor you have not yet opened your Senior Placement File with the Career Services Center, you are strongly encouraged to do so as soon as possible. Unlike other years, several companies are sending recruiters to our campus during sprng quarter to interview graduating seniors. On campus interviews these days May 20th Deseret Book Administrative Systems Corp. office SLC May 26th Ryder Freight Co., Bus..& Transportation Salt Lake .wwwW!! w;.:?::wxwww- ywr.-ff.-yy.'xff-" 'wxf.'yiv'. pxywrwrVrt' Twain' humors student audience |