UNLV is trying to make a name for itself by way of creating the only artistic think tank in current operation. The name of the think tank is Black mountain. If that name sounds familiar to some of you literati, it was lifted from the Black Mountain College that existed from the 1930’s to the early 1950’s.

Black Mountain College was unique in the fact that the professors owned and operated the college and the normal political structure of the colligate experience was avoided. It was also known as a haven for free thinkers and far thinkers. They “adopted” and housed many German Scientists during World War II and others fleeing persecution. It was a wonderful idea and the ideas and theories that flowed from there were excellent.

But what exactly is this new Think Tank going to be? The first question they are going to tackle is the divide between Western and Muslim cultures. Do they really expect a group of artist to find an answer to a question like that?

I have no doubt that a group of scholars will come up with several suggestions to help easy tensions, but a solution, I rather doubt it. As a first task, it is a daunting challenge and I would hate to see the project cancelled because expectations were not met in what I deem as a problem without a practical answer.

So if answers are not forthcoming, what is it? An intellectual experiment? A political action committee? A token of pride that UNLV can polish and put on display? A black hole for funding? What?

I do not know, but from reading the article about in the Las Vegas Sun it comes off as a group of unapproachable highbrows. They only want “scholarly” thinkers and ones that can then explain the concepts they create to “the layman”. I found that last part particularly patronizing because it assumes that an average person would be clueless if someone of some intellect were to talk plainly to them. Hell, I am skeptical whether they would be able to explain their concepts to each other.

Besides, what makes artists so privileged in their thinking. Being an artist myself does not make me any wiser in the ways of the world than more analytical types. Can a group of writers, artist and whatnot actually understand the whole of the problem in the first place (Western Vs Muslim societies)? My head is spinning about the problem and I am not the smartest person there is.

That being said, here is a personal plug… I would love to sit in on a think tank like this, if for no other reason than to shoot is all down. Can you imagine the amount of “predefined” idealism that will be spouted in a group like this? I would have fun pointing out that “Humanitarian” is a non existent concept in a global view. That “economics” are a fiction we made up to deal with barter systems. That there is no such thing as “Human Rights”, and even if there were, what makes our Judeo Christian view of “Human Rights” more correct than Muslim “Human Rights”?

Boy oh boy… it was be a good time in Sin City the night I sat in on a group like that.