The tyranny of intellect (and class (and age))

[caladri]

I'm growing tired of the use of aesthetics to oppress and denigrate. In a class on Social Justice, Aesthetics and Mysticism this past January, I grew frustrated when we moved from idolizing and adoring all kinds of Latin American folk art to dismissing as kitsch and deriding as "bad art if art at all" Mormon depictions of Jesus. "Kitsch" seemed

Comments

[twoeleven]

I can make of a couple of counter-arguments, but I'd rather be playing with my legos. :)

[caladri]

Playing with legos is great! I'm watching one of my favourite episodes of Northern Exposure.

[twoeleven]

Since I have a minute, let me sketch one of my counter-arguments. I am, as you know, a music snob. I like certain things in music: complex melodic lines, fancy harmonies (especially large-ensemble polyphony) and a few other things that drive me to "classical" music. But as it turns out, of the popular forms, I end up listening to a lot of country/country&western -- y'know, redneck music -- because they have the most of what I want. (Tho I could listen to Annie Lennox all day, too. ;) )

But the rest is mostly noise. So: obession with class, age, and my superior intellect, or just I knowing what I like?

[caladri]

Knowing what you like is fine; internal convictions and preferences are one thing, but it's the interface between the individual and the outside world where things can get problematic.

Personally, I'm listening to lots of "library music" today, i.e. background music and the like from near-factories populated with skilled session musicians. They played a lot with the kinds of themes that work for me, and tend to be a little minimalist, well-produced, and never leave 'em wanting more. Albums full of of music in the same themes and styles. It's like a buffet with all my favourite foods. Not so classy, but I'm not complaining.

[eub]

Well, when you consider music that puts its complexity in rhythm instead, does saying "mostly noise" mean you don't care for it and don't make fine distinctions within it, or that in an objective sense it lacks quality and reflects poorly on people who like it?

Kinda sounds like maybe a person could just know what zie likes but could be serving it with an extra dollop of curmudgeon.

(Now, maybe the acid test would be whether you look down on music that isn't complex anywhere that you can tell.)

[twoeleven]

Lemme start by saying I look for the content of the music, not the label on it. I don't really care who listens to it; as I said, I listen to "redneck" music without feeling that I shouldn't do so around "proper people". (I wish I'd caught the title of the C&W love-gone-wrong ballad I heard part of... I didn't know anybody writing popular music did 3- and 4-part harmonies any more