Interesting Links for 23-08-2017

[andrewducker]

Sadly many people today, often in without realizing it, endorse a key tenet of Hitler's social project: the theory of "degenerate art". (tags: art nazis criticism ) Your kids will see internet porn. Deal with it (tags: porn children society ) The Web’s Most Toxic Trolls Live in … Vermont? (tags: troll usa maps ) There is no such thing as the

Comments

[woodpijn]

You know who else disliked modern art? THE NAZIS! is no better than You know who else was vegetarian? HITLER!, which I had thought was only ever said satirically.

[andrewducker]

At no point does the thread say that disliking modern art makes you like Hitler.

It says that the argument of "degenerate art" is one that Hitler pushed. And, frankly, anyone who bases their argument on the idea of "degenerate art" or "degenerate culture" is stepping on _very_ dodgy ground indeed.

[woodpijn]

From the article: "Here's BuzzFeedBlue mocking abstract art, even by the great Henri Matisse, for being childish and worthless. Distrust people who put forward this narrative."

I feel like the article and/or you are equivocating on the meaning of "degenerate art". I agree with you that saying any art should be banned for political reasons is very dodgy. But I think it's valid to criticise art for lacking technical skill, being a step backwards, being doable by a child, etc.

The article's argument seems to be "People are criticising modern art for being worthless and childish, which means degenerate, which is a term the Nazis used for art they wanted to ban." Unless the critics are saying they too want to ban it, it's nothing like the same thing.

[andrewducker]

That goes back to the line "It doesn't tell you that modern artists were taking from classical art traditions themselves - just not the parts that the Nazis liked." - and anyone claiming that Matisse lacked technical skill is either ignorant or lying.

Claiming that art is worthless does tend to be a social attempt at exclusion. If people say "I don't like it" that's fair enough - but claiming a lack of social worth for it is most definitely on the slippery slope.

[anna_wing]

The "true self" one is interesting, and seems logical. One can only assess character (the onlooker's substitute for "self") by behaviour, and that often does change with time and context.

[seraphicwing]

Poor, poor Daily Stormer. :P Not.