I liked this Sunday Washington Post article, about a world-renowned violinist (Joshua Bell) who played his Stradivarius anonymously at a Metro station during the morning rush hour. How many people stopped to listen? How much money was dropped into his violin case? How many passersby could tell that this was no ordinary street musician? The article sounds sort of gimmicky, but it evolved into a fascinating discussion of life and art: is it still art if no one listens? Are we so busy and self-important that we can’t pause for moment and be open to beauty? Especially interesting: The reporters noted that every single child walking by with a parent wanted to stop and listen but was dragged away.
Here’s the article (registration required).