Are todays guard styles hurting

[Abbevillekid26]

Now, I can musically tell Cavies from Blue Devils, or Crown from Cadets. It would be more difficult to tell Crown from Blue Stars or Blue Devils from Bluecoats. It would be pretty difficult to hear the Colts, Glassmen, or The Academy and be able to tell who they were if they were in plain clothes. My point is not to rag on anyone today, it's just to say that the differences are more subtle.

There aren't as many styles. The instrumentation from corps to corps is mostly the same, the guards are generally similar. There are generally 3 or 4 marching styles in vogue ( Cavies, Blue Knight, Blue Devils, Cadets). It's pretty homogenized. It didn't used to be this way, but it HAS happened.

Yes yes yes.

[Rimba47]

I'm hardly a dinosaur. But your inability to see why someone might have a differing opinion from you reflects moreso on you than on them. They can turn around and point the same comments right back at you--you are so blinded by what is going on now that you lack understanding for why they might feel that the changes over the last (insert time period) have been negative.

Actually they can't. Because what I'm responding to is in the present and clinging to the past is never a good thing. I'm being progressive and appreciating what I have in front of me because the past can never be returned to. Ofcourse we must learn from past, understand that past, appreciate the past but we cannot live in the past. Thats what dinosaurs do, and so everything that they experience in the present loses its sense of reality so nothing to them is what it truly is. The present becomes just as smoky as the past and they suffer from an inabiltity to connect substantially with either.

So, while its okay to say that the changes over the few years have been negative, its not fair to put a blind eye on the present because of that. All we have is the present and if you ignore that... well... you're left with a bunch of grumpy dinosaurs.

Edited March 10, 2010 by Rimba47

[Dave]

Actually they can't. Because what I'm responding to is in the present and clinging to the past is never a good thing. I'm being progressive and appreciating what I have in front of me because the past can never be returned to. Ofcourse we must learn from past, understand that past, appreciate the past but we cannot live in the past. Thats what dinosaurs do, and so everything that they experience in the present loses its sense of reality so nothing to them is what it truly is. The present becomes just as smoky as the past and they suffer from an inabiltity to connect substantially with either.

So, while its okay to say that the changes over the few years have been negative, its not fair to put a blind eye on the present because of that. All we have is the present and if you ignore that... well... you're left with a bunch of grumpy dinosaurs.

Again: you're presuming to know the motivations and minds of other people, something you can't possibly know, and then proceeding to insult anyone who disagrees you by tarring them with such terms. The basis of your criticism is a fallacy.

[Mello Dude]

Actually they can't. Because what I'm responding to is in the present and clinging to the past is never a good thing. I'm being progressive and appreciating what I have in front of me because the past can never be returned to. Ofcourse we must learn from past, understand that past, appreciate the past but we cannot live in the past. Thats what dinosaurs do, and so everything that they experience in the present loses its sense of reality so nothing to them is what it truly is. The present becomes just as smoky as the past and they suffer from an inabiltity to connect substantially with either.

So, while its okay to say that the changes over the few years have been negative, its not fair to put a blind eye on the present because of that. All we have is the present and if you ignore that... well... you're left with a bunch of grumpy dinosaurs.

Actually, you are a selective progressive. Having benchmarks to compare something to, is how you define and measure progress. Appreciating everything you see without discerning taste and/or history to judge that "progress" isn't "progressive". Simply giving out the latest PC term for advancement or maturing (transformation) for the activity isn't a carte blanch term to not use past benchmarks as a comparison. The present can be put into reality by understanding human nature and the past. I dare say anyone who thinks BD's show last year (no offense to BD and a fine performance within the buildup score and rules per DCI) made any musical sense needs to go back to music 101. See, that's called discerning taste and reality, not a dino.

[Abbevillekid26]

Actually, you are a selective progressive. Having benchmarks to compare something to, is how you define and measure progress. Appreciating everything you see without discerning taste and/or history to judge that "progress" isn't "progressive". Simply giving out the latest PC term for advancement or maturing (transformation) for the activity isn't a carte blanch term to not use past benchmarks as a comparison. The present can be put into reality by understanding human nature and the past. I dare say anyone who thinks BD's show last year (no offense to BD and a fine performance within the buildup score and rules per DCI) made any musical sense needs to go back to music 101. See, that's called discerning taste and reality, not a dino.

Wow I agree with you on this one.

[2000Cadet]

I told you guys this thread was going to hell in a heartbeat.

[Rimba47]

Again: you're presuming to know the motivations and minds of other people, something you can't possibly know, and then proceeding to insult anyone who disagrees you by tarring them with such terms. The basis of your criticism is a fallacy.

Under your argument you would just suggest that we leave the dinos to sulk in their own tears. Since no one can understand what goes in their minds we should just leave them to dislike modern drum corps and slander it. Made the only fallacy I suffer from is the belief that we do not have to become victims of our past expereinces/circumstances.

Call me an optimist then. Though I may not know the motivations and minds of other people I do know that the way they are thinking is making them unhappy with the current drum corps experience. I wouldn't say that I have insulted them, but I am at times frustrated with them. Different ideas about modern drum corps are healthy and I'm not saying that there is only one way to see it. (like I don't like the idea of woodwinds in drum corps but I still am a fan of modern drum corps and appreciate the original drum corps activity in the 70's, 80's etc.) But, I think that people have a choice about being optimistic and pessimistic about the present no matter what kinds of circumstances are presented in front of you. Dinos tend to be pessimistic and that’s a choice they have made which only perpetuates their constant slandering of the modern drum corps activity.

I criticize the dinos for being too pessimistic about modern drum corps. There are of course reasons/motivations for being pessimistic but people also have motivations and reasons to feel sad and depressed but that still doesn't mean that being pessimistic is a progressive and positive way of viewing drum corps. A dino can hate everything about modern drum corps but it’s in my opinion that no matter what kind of motivations the dino has for legitimately disliking the activity that that energy can be redirected to appreciating modern drum corps for the simples reason that at one point they did love drum corps. And the only thing that’s keeping them away from looking at modern drum corps differently is themselves. The activity may have changed to a degree but is it really worth slandering it? Is it really worth comparing it to something that has passed? If you've loved drum corps in the past I don't see why you can't love drum corps in the present and visa versa.

And to clarify: Being critical about modern drum corps is not the same as being generally pessimistic.

[jjeffeory]

Under your argument you would just suggest that we leave the dinos to sulk in their own tears. Since no one can understand what goes in their minds we should just leave them to dislike modern drum corps and slander it. Made the only fallacy I suffer from is the belief that we do not have to become victims of our past expereinces/circumstances.

Call me an optimist then. Though I may not know the motivations and minds of other people I do know that the way they are thinking is making them unhappy with the current drum corps experience. I wouldn't say that I have insulted them, but I am at times frustrated with them. Different ideas about modern drum corps are healthy and I'm not saying that there is only one way to see it. (like I don't like the idea of woodwinds in drum corps but I still am a fan of modern drum corps and appreciate the original drum corps activity in the 70's, 80's etc.) But, I think that people have a choice about being optimistic and pessimistic about the present no matter what kinds of circumstances are presented in front of you. Dinos tend to be pessimistic and that’s a choice they have made which only perpetuates their constant slandering of the modern drum corps activity.

I criticize the dinos for being too pessimistic about modern drum corps. There are of course reasons/motivations for being pessimistic but people also have motivations and reasons to feel sad and depressed but that still doesn't mean that being pessimistic is a progressive and positive way of viewing drum corps. A dino can hate everything about modern drum corps but it’s in my opinion that no matter what kind of motivations the dino has for legitimately disliking the activity that that energy can be redirected to appreciating modern drum corps for the simples reason that at one point they did love drum corps. And the only thing that’s keeping them away from looking at modern drum corps differently is themselves. The activity may have changed to a degree but is it really worth slandering it? Is it really worth comparing it to something that has passed? If you've loved drum corps in the past I don't see why you can't love drum corps in the present and visa versa.

And to clarify: Being critical about modern drum corps is not the same as being generally pessimistic.

Wow, totally disagree with ya. Totally disagree with the premise of your most previous post as well.

Edited March 11, 2010 by jjeffeory

[84skyrydr]

What ??? Not even on the same page, and Ilearned the difference by fifth grade....did you ??

G

I am trying to understand your reaction to the post you replied to that is all.

[84skyrydr]

**Disclaimer** The following isn't directed at you blackstar or even directly related to what you wrote. Its just your post got me thinking and after writing it I didn't want to delete it.

Dinosaurs are SO attached to their past history with drum corps it literally makes me feel sorry for them! Even if you they don’t believe it they are poisoning their own perception of modern drum corps by constantly reminiscing about the past.

Maybe the fact that you can’t tell the difference between the styles of modern drum corps is because you haven’t taken the time to really hear and appreciate the new styles that have been developed. They aren’t the same as they were 30 years ago and maybe for some people (not specifically you blackstar), they therefore think that they are "non-existent"”. But I can assure you that they are still there (just ask anyone who has gotten over their golden years in drum corps) and that they are just as distinct as they ever were.

The fact that dinos keep constantly returning to their golden years of drum corps means that they aren't present for the modern years of drum corps. They are missing out on all the developments and ideas that have occurred since 1970’s not only on style but in everything else!

A dino says, "I remember when the songs were more memorable than they are now...… I remember when they were louder than they are now...… I remember getting really excited for drum corps shows...… I remember when...… it was better when..."

…” All of these lines distance yourself from the modern activity and you begin to live in world where both your present and past are not what they actually are. The past is idealized more than it should be and the present is ridiculed more than it should be. Dinos! Get out of your golden years stupor and open your eyes! The view ahead of you is brighter and more amazing than you can even imagine if you'd just stop looking over your shoulder with your rose colored glasses!

I blame lack of available babies.

I hope you get to live long enough to "remember when". I hope drum corps still exists for you also, but don't ever think you know what dinos feel or think untill you are one. You may learn from experience, or not, its up to you, but to discount experience is very niave. (sp?)