Classical vs. Romantic

In the book Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, our narrator distinguishes between two dichotomies: Classical and Romantic. A classical person is one who will "take apart," if you will, something. It can be an object or person, but they will disassemble it in order to understand each mechanism and its respective impact. A romantic person will simply look at the surface of an object or person, and not really give it much thought. A romantic person will, as the saying goes, judge a person by its cover.

We can be both classical or romantic, it really depends on our interests. It's not a matter of being one or the other. If I looked at something like, for instance, an iPad, I would look at it romantically. I would call it a worthless object and a waste of space. I see the iPad as having no real useful function.

If I am looking at something I find interesting however, I will look at it in a classic manner. Music, for example, is something I take a deep interest in. I will often find a new song which I take fascination to. After listening it for a while I will take it apart, dissect it, understand it. I will use "Stairway to Heaven" as an example. At first glance, people would perceive it as another rock song with the same old use of the four rock instruments: guitar, bass, drums, and vocals. But as I explored the song, I discovered that it also includes the use of four recorders, a twelve string guitar, and an electronic keyboard. Then I take it a step further. I look at the songs impact on music. How did it influence others? What sort of mythology and lore surrounds it? What impact does it have on music as a whole. What is the meaning of the song and what is its purpose? You might call me obsessed, but I'm merely thinking classically.

I agree with the narrator in the sense that "both are valid ways of looking at the world although irreconcilable with each other." Both ways of looking at something are polar opposites with one another. You can be both classic and romantic, but when it comes down to actually looking at something, you're going to interpret it one way or the other. You can't do it both ways. I can't say that a song like Stairway to Heaven is just another song when in reality I am fascinated by it.