Platon's Dialogue with Bob Weir

Описание: Bobby Weir, the beloved musician and co-founder of the Grateful Dead, walked into my New York studio with an entourage–a crew who were rightfully protective yet, everybody knew something special was about to happen. The atmosphere was respectful and charged. The man looked like a wizard–a thick, hand-knitted cloak draped over his shoulders, a worn leather cowboy hat topped waves of pure white hair, his snow beard was biblical, his piercing eyes were on fire. This was a mystical man. The dialogue started immediately with a warm handshake, “I’m Bobby Weir, I play music and I tell stories.” He continued, “It's all about storytelling–any artist is first and foremost a storyteller. It's an urge that we artists have–it's my escape–I get to step aside, I get to be somebody else and that somebody else is–ALL OF US. IT’S A SHARED EXPERIENCE.” 
 
I asked Bobby about current divisions in our society and after a long, searching pause he spoke, “When people fall into the music, all their tribal considerations fall away and their rooted humanity is what everyone shares. For instance, when Hank Williams sings about loneliness it's totally universal.” Bobby then quoted from history, “THE SILENCE OF A FALLING STAR LIGHTS UP A PURPLE SKY, AND AS I WONDER WHERE YOU ARE, I’M SO LONELY I COULD CRY. He’s sharing some pain there but it’s something we can all feel.” Another long pause, I waited with anticipation for his thought process to resolve…then he continued, “That's something worth doing–to empathize with people.”

I asked Bobby about the meaning of people power, he said, “I know we are all one. I’ve seen it, I’ve felt it. It's hard to get that across to some folks–that I am you and you are me, but it’s the truth, I know that. I guess it's difficult for a lot of people to accept the fact that you really are insignificant–and the more we come to that realization, the more we can accept the fact that we all share a common humanity.” Bobby Weir, I salute you, RIP.


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