Murray has raised some very interesting points in his message not just relevant to cinema. Arthur Knight also commented in another mailing about the importance of knowing the overall context influencing film. Yet, the solipsistic malaise Murray defines has both historical and contemporary points of contact. A colleague once pointed out that America's major problem involved not sexual repression (in the Freudian sense) but historical repression. This has now affected certain areas of Cinema Studies with individuals feeling over-confident in denying both the relevance of previous studies of particular films and asserting a solipsistic "me" generation approach leading to the neglect of the necessary historical and archaeological research that any valid disciplinary approach involves. Furthermore, listening to the BBC World Service daily for the 15 minute British News Special, I heard a news report on the new phenomenom of Easy Listening Music. This involves youth culture fascination with non-demanding. muzak type songs which places no demands on the listeners lulling them into a bland sense of self-assurance. One proponent stated audiences preferred non-reflexive, anti-postmodernist strategies of listening. Although these two examples are not directly dealing with Cinema Studies, they do indirectly bear a telling relevance to issues discussed on this net. "I believe I am creating a new meaning and do not need to investigate past efforts at exploration." It is a bastardized 90's version of "Cogito Ergo Sum." "Those who point to the necessity of doing archaeological/historical investigation to confirm the supposed uniqueness of their particular readings are merely trying to preserve the academic exclusiveness of their own tradition." These are really important hermaneutical issues and necessitate interpret- ation, exploration, and further discussion. They affect not just Screen-L alone but a pervasive mood affecting Culture in general today. One does not want to merely cite Santayana's axiom about those not knowing the past being doomed to repeat mistakes in the future but point to the importance of analyzing the specific forms of this particular debate which affect us all in one way or another. Tony Williams ---- To signoff SCREEN-L, e-mail [log in to unmask] and put SIGNOFF SCREEN-L in the message. Problems? Contact [log in to unmask]