Tibet - the ultimate theme park

Spengler has, as always, a pithy comment - turn the whole show into a Theme Park.

The money quote (soon, to be tariff-free, even, thanks to the FTA):

“The monks do not practice a religion so much as a sort of folkloric animism that is out of place in the modern world. That is what makes them appear so charming to the spiritual tourists of the West. Attractions of this sort aren’t rational, and there is no point arguing about it. Give the tourists and the monks what they want, and promote the exchange of currency for a spiritual frisson.”

Having spent a glorious six days sloshing around Venice (motto: 'Nothing preserves like neglect!") , I can quite appreciate Spengler's POV. Monuments to faded glory do appeal to the Western fin-di-siecle zeitgeist, and fit the Japanese notion of shibui.

And Venice (not so true off-season, so guess when we went...) certainly has the cash-for-contemplation gig sussed.

So, there's a Template fer the Temples of Tibet.

But, ain't it simply delicious, to have Keith Locke, of all people, trumpeting the Rights of Tibet to Self-Determination. Keef has been known to cheer for the Other side, too. Oh well, age does funny stuff to memory. And logic.