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A Wonder of the World Idea
I've been thinking about this 7 Wonders of the World list. I read an editorial about it that made a point I also noticed. Happily, the latest wonders list takes in most areas of the world. Perhaps this is due to people's increasingly global mind set. Also, perhaps with the communication network being so vast, there was more diversity among people who had a say in what they consider wonderful. And perhaps, because of technology, more people could be influenced. According to the two people who left exactly the same comment on the Christ the Redeemer post, this win was due to a large push by the Brazilian government. But, this is also what happens when movies are chosen as award winners. Those with the biggest studio push tend to win. Not always, but often.
My take on what ought to win is the "take your breath away" factor. When something makes you stop talking to whomever you are talking with, hang up your cell phone, take your eyes away from a map, pull you out of your thoughts, or whatever--that's the winner. The one time I was in such awe of a piece of work created by humanity, that I felt as if my breathing stilled was when I saw the statue of David.
When I first saw David in the Accademia Gallery in Florence, Italy I was a junior in college and traveling after a semester at Copenhagen University in Denmark. (This was a program through DIS, the Danish Institute for Studying Abroad.) I don't know what it was about that day, but when I saw David, my impulse was to cry and I don't get that weepy. That statue is glorious. It could not be more perfect. That's my opinion. I don't even mind the refrigerator magnets you can buy where you can put various outfits on a David replica. [photo by murky and posted on Flickr. Look at the comments. Even murky took pause.]
The ceiling of the Sistine Chapel also floored me. So did the Pieta. So, my thought is that perhaps there needs to be a 7 Wonders of the World list where the people who created the wonders are the wonders. Michelangelo would be one of those people. Off the top of my head, Leonardo da Vinci could be one as well. Then, instead of traveling to see only one creation, you could go on a little tour of that person's creations. Authors and musicians might be included so you can go on trips to see their original manuscripts, scores, favorite eateries, their houses, their graves, etc. The places to go could be expanded to include places where those people slept. That would be a real tourism booster.
Filed under: Arts and Culture, Stories, Italy
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Mike Thomas Jul 21st 2007 4:05PM
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