Sjoerd Witteveen
D. Paul Schafer: Economist, artist talks about his book Revolution or Renaissance
Markham
June 28, 2008 09:04 PM
10 minutes with D. Paul Schafer
By: Simone Joseph
The first indication that D. Paul Schafer is not your average, run-of-the-mill economist is when he mentions two of his books are published in Chinese.
But this is just the tip of the proverbial iceberg.
Mr. Schafer, an author, is somewhat of a student of eastern culture himself.
He enjoys Chinese brush painting, having started about seven years ago through the Chinese Cultural Centre and also loves Chinese fan dancing.
Mr. Schafer, 71, is married and has two children.
He has worked in the cultural field for more than four decades as an educator, advisor, administrator, and researcher.
His book Revolution or Renaissance is about how we are currently in an economics age and must move into a cultural age. We cannot continue on the same path, he says, being threatened by all sorts of environmental problems. We need to put an emphasis on the arts and spirituality.
Q: Why did you switch from the field of economics to the arts?
A: I was originally interested in economics and arts and the connection between them. I knew I couldn’t be a practicing artist. Then I was hired as an economic consultant at the Ontario Arts Council. Then, the theatre scene had financial problems. I was asked to design a study to look at theatres. Then, I was the research director of the Ontario Theatre study (looking at) all aspects of the theatre in Ontario.
Q: What were your findings?
A: There are a lot more subsidies for theatre companies and playwrights needed, more drama education in schools, better venues for theatrical performances and a need to establish training for arts administration.
Q: Your book talks about how we have to move from an economic age to a cultural age. But why do these two ages have to be separate? Why can’t you have a thriving arts scene and a thriving economy at the same time?
A: Economics is a fundamental part of culture, just as materialism is a part of spiritualism. It is how much emphasis you put in it. Even monks must eat to survive. Our problem is how to find the appropriate place for the economy and materialism.
Q: What do you do that people would least expect of an academic/economist?
A: Well, the kids in the neighbourhood call me the walking man. I have a penchant for walking and I’m sure you know why. I have spent a good part of the last 25 years writing publications of various sorts and I have found walking is tremendous for writers. Whenever you get a writer’s blockage, you can get up from the computer and get up from your pen and paper and go out and have a walk and it is great therapy and thinking about where you want to go in your work. Also, something that has brought a great deal of joy and fulfillment to my life is 2-1/2 years ago, I started doing exercising at the (Markville) mall in the morning with the wanji dance. It is a group of mostly Chinese people. It is done to oriental music. They do it in front of the Old Navy every morning from 8 to 9 and then it is followed by an actual dance.