Lounge of Tomorrow - View Single Post

Alex · 02-03-2006, 02:31 PM

There is a definite line between pop culture and high culture and I think it is somewhat created by the consumers.

For many people, something being too popular is a drawback. I'm suspicious of novels that are two widely read. We've all heard of things that are labeled as "too commercial" (read: it appeals to too many people). Or you loved a band when they were local and only 45 people knew who they were but by the time enough people caught on that they were on MTV you lost interest. There is an appeal to feeling your part of a small club of the enlightened.

Part of it is that art, to really connect frequently relies on something that isn't common within all people but rather something that is relatively rare. Thus Jon Waters is a genius to a very small group of people while the majority don't get it at all.

Personally, I'm an overly rational and under emotional person. Art works best for me when it works me intellectually instead of emotionally. There are emotional topics that get to me but for the most part I'm more interested in the literal than the subtextual (subtext isn't bad but when there is no overlayer of literal as is common with post-modern literature then you've lost me, almost guaranteed).

I also want to be clear that when I say "I don't like opera" I'm not really condemning the entire art form. Mostly it just means that I haven't liked the opera I've seen and didn't see anything about the form that has prodded me to persue more. I'm sure I'll end up seeing more opera in my lifetime and wouldn't be surprised if I find something I enjoy.

My consumption of "high culture" is relatively limited but that is mostly because I don't enjoy the venues in which it is consumed. I really enjoy looking at paintings and photography but strongly dislike the musuems in which they're displayed. I hate interpretation. When I look at paintings I don't care who painted them. I don't care what else they painted. I just want to look at this particular painting and photograph and take it in.

I'm also turned off by many of the people who frequent such places. I'm equally turned off by the person who says with pride "I don't watch TV" as I am by the person who says "I'd never read a book not found a the grocery store checkstand."

I'm willing to experience pretty much anything, even those things that I have little reason to expect I'll particularly enjoy (Natalie Merchant, chamber music) but I'm most excited about it when I am allowed to just interact with something directly on my own with a lot of baggage piled on.

02-03-2006, 02:31 PM	#7
Alex . Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 13,354	There is a definite line between pop culture and high culture and I think it is somewhat created by the consumers. For many people, something being too popular is a drawback. I'm suspicious of novels that are two widely read. We've all heard of things that are labeled as "too commercial" (read: it appeals to too many people). Or you loved a band when they were local and only 45 people knew who they were but by the time enough people caught on that they were on MTV you lost interest. There is an appeal to feeling your part of a small club of the enlightened. Part of it is that art, to really connect frequently relies on something that isn't common within all people but rather something that is relatively rare. Thus Jon Waters is a genius to a very small group of people while the majority don't get it at all. Personally, I'm an overly rational and under emotional person. Art works best for me when it works me intellectually instead of emotionally. There are emotional topics that get to me but for the most part I'm more interested in the literal than the subtextual (subtext isn't bad but when there is no overlayer of literal as is common with post-modern literature then you've lost me, almost guaranteed). I also want to be clear that when I say "I don't like opera" I'm not really condemning the entire art form. Mostly it just means that I haven't liked the opera I've seen and didn't see anything about the form that has prodded me to persue more. I'm sure I'll end up seeing more opera in my lifetime and wouldn't be surprised if I find something I enjoy. My consumption of "high culture" is relatively limited but that is mostly because I don't enjoy the venues in which it is consumed. I really enjoy looking at paintings and photography but strongly dislike the musuems in which they're displayed. I hate interpretation. When I look at paintings I don't care who painted them. I don't care what else they painted. I just want to look at this particular painting and photograph and take it in. I'm also turned off by many of the people who frequent such places. I'm equally turned off by the person who says with pride "I don't watch TV" as I am by the person who says "I'd never read a book not found a the grocery store checkstand." I'm willing to experience pretty much anything, even those things that I have little reason to expect I'll particularly enjoy (Natalie Merchant, chamber music) but I'm most excited about it when I am allowed to just interact with something directly on my own with a lot of baggage piled on.
	Submit to Quotes