The Challenge of "Culture"

[€uroMeinke]

I'm not sure about the whole highbrow/lowbrow thing. I understand that there are communities, disciplins, and institutions that can make certain cultural elements forboding - but by and large most "good" art was popular in some way.

Now, I guess there are books and works that make reference to others, and the enjoyment of those works are enhanced by having that knowledge, but I think any work despite it's brow-level usually can stand on it's own.

So I can read Candide and not know about Leibnitz, logical postitivists, or the history of the Porteguese earthquake of whatever date it was. Granted if I do, I may get a bit more out of it - but it's still a pleasure to read none-the-less - or I think so anyway.

I suppose another element of great works is that people like to talk about them, speculate, theorize, draw connections, etc. Often that is what the "art" community is all about - much like the fan base of a popular work.

Similarly, I can't read music or play an instrument but I enjoy lots of different forms of music, including classical. I listen and either I respond, or I don't. Sometimes my response evolves over time.

When I first heard Philip Glass, I couldn't get past its repetativeness but over time I found his music stuck with me and I started seeking him out and ultimately found his work quite compelling. Maybe I wasn't ready for him when I first heard him, but I nver went out of my way to study minimalism or his musical predicessors - rather I think over time my way of listening changed.