When Greatness Grates
Norman Lebrecht,
Evening Standard,
Jan 30, 2003
The flavour of this article is captured brilliantly by the small photo of a statute of Churchill sporting a grass mohawk haircut. What is greatness, and how do we recognize it - particularly since greatness comes so often associated with other attributes that disturb polite society. As greatness becomes something determined by popular vote - as in the BBC's recent "greatest Britons" poll, the essence of greatness is eroded. "Kylie Minogue has been named Greatest Living Australian. Not much competition, you might say, but what it is that Kylie does better than any other Aussie? The term 'great' is a vital critical tool. It should not be wasted on a sprightly singer with a shapely butt." Perhaps. But my view is that here are more great people - great artists, great scientists, great philosophers - living today that have lived through all of history. If the distinction of greatness is becoming eroded, it may well be because the incidence of greatness has become common.
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