Z-Man on Novus Ordo Mass

Z-Man is a product of Jesuit high-school education, but he hides any vestigial Catholicism pretty well.

That doesn't prevent him from inadvertently commenting on Catholic matters.  Here, while doing overall social criticism, he slams the New Rite/Ordinary Form.

...The synthetic ugliness of the current year West surpasses the ugliness of communism in that it is the product of material excess. The dreariness of communist architecture, for example, could be explained by scarcity. They had to make do with what they could produce, which meant concrete and steel. The modern West is brimming with material excess, but insists on an aesthetic that captures the hopes and dreams of the career civil servant. Today’s style is depressed postal clerk.

This is, of course, the fruit of egalitarianism. When a society embraces the natural hierarchy of man, even the people at the top are looking up for inspiration. They are sure there is something better and more beautiful a little higher than where they currently stand. There’s no limiting principle to capturing the beauty and wonder of God’s creation. The aesthetic of such a society is one of increasing beauty and complexity in the art of the people.

In an egalitarian society, this is thrown into reverse. Everyone is discouraged from looking up, as that may suggest apostasy. Instead, the best only look up in order to get a better grip on the self-imposed ceiling, which is always pulled down. Everyone else is compelled to look down for a new lowest common denominator. Only in the most vulgar and debased can everyone be included. The result is a community that looks like film noir, but is awash in pornography and degeneracy....

Z-Man points to 'egalitarianism' which calls to mind the demand for ditching Latin and Gregorian Chant (along with incense, ornate ritual, versus Deum, etc.) and substituting Haugen/Haas, hootenanny, Broadway tunes, handshakes..........you get the idea.

Is it pushing a bit to speculate that egalitarianism leads to the "Could all men be saved?" blather emanating from the West Coast?

Hmmm.