Mark Seeley wrote:

>I think in Liszt's time, people generally speaking, did not expect
>happiness.  Somewhere, however, that changed.

The labors of life got easier through technological advancements, giving
humans much more time for other pursuits.  Enter TV, the "happy box", and
you have a great recipe for feeling you have a right to happiness and quick
solutions to major problems.  I still remember fondly the tv show "Father
Knows Best" with Robert Young.  He really had all the answers, and the
longest it took him to solve a problem was 30 minutes minus the commercial
time.

Of course, loving classical music increases one's happiness in life, and
being happy does have its benefits.  Dwelling on the possible advantages of
living in the past is a waste unless you're going to take a ride in a "time
machine." We can't even be sure that any advantages existed.

Don Satz
[log in to unmask]