I’m still new to Ted Gioia’s “Honest Broker” blog. I’m loving it. On July 27th he wrote, “A 2000-Year-Old Argument Over the Flute is the Most Important Thing in Our Culture Right Now.”

Ted’s article references Adam Smith, writer of “On The Wealth of Nations”, and his views that the production of music is of no value. Ted writes about Plato and Aristotle and how both had similar thoughts about music, or did they.

At the end of Plato’s life, the only thing Plato asks for is a person to play music for him. Aristotle had a similar request. For being a profession so easily de-valued, two famous philosophers didn’t ask for family or friends, they asked for music.

I watch my dad. Faithful readers remember that Dad lives with Alzheimer’s. In addition to a few odds and ends, the thing my dad asks me about my work. I tell him my work. He always responds, “you’re working in the coalmine. Going downtown.”