1988 was, for George Michael, “what pop critics call an ‘imperial’ year.” He “reigned over the charts and, essentially, could do no wrong.” It was the year of Faith, his debut solo album, which spent twelve weeks at number one, and produced four number one singles, each of which, if you were alive at the time, you can still hum today.
Great essay. I don't agree with the ending. You have to try, even though you never know when Zeus's lightning will strike. If an artist puts out his best work but the people don't crowd around it, that is not lack of aristeia, but fate, in the Homeric parlance, dictates that it falls on deaf ears for the time being. Unless you are saying that aristeia requires collectively recognized results, and not an isolated excellence. There is something to that, but the difficulty of achieving it does not mean you should give up.
Great essay. I don't agree with the ending. You have to try, even though you never know when Zeus's lightning will strike. If an artist puts out his best work but the people don't crowd around it, that is not lack of aristeia, but fate, in the Homeric parlance, dictates that it falls on deaf ears for the time being. Unless you are saying that aristeia requires collectively recognized results, and not an isolated excellence. There is something to that, but the difficulty of achieving it does not mean you should give up.
I think I agree!