on criticism pt. 2, "Adorno's World"

The second major implication (call it wishful thinking, if you will) is a revolution in the way art and culture is produced and devoured. It is a revolution the likes of which Theodor Adorno (thanks to the lovely, the talented x kr8chi for bringing him up) could've only dreamed. Adorno was a music critic/philosopher who wrote about how "art (mostly music for him though) can resist being co-opted by the status quo--hegemony--what not." He was concerned with how the dominate cultural "tastemakers," as it were, (dubiously linked with the dominant social class, even, or especially, today) take over the production of art and cultural elements for their own profit, having a degenerative effect on the products over time. This is linked with cultural hegemony, which would imply that it was a conscious effort on the part of the dominant class to keep the lower class low. As far as I understand, Adorno was less concerned with this and more focused on the tendency for art to become crap as time goes on. This isn't theoretical. Its real. Its a phenomenon that is going on now, has been forever and it is bad.

I think we are living in an age where it is possible for it to happen no more. We live in a time when it is possible for art and culture and popular taste to be completely user-regulated. This is happening right now in music and the industry is in a desperate panic. It is a perfect storm--the ease with which artists (especially musicians) can produce their work and make it accessible, and the ease with which people can share what they like. I think it is possible (we're not there quite yet) for word of mouth (or fingertip) to be the only thing we need. Advertisements, shameless plugs, etc. can become obsolete. It of course, will take work. But it starts with bold moves by the right people.

More later.

mark.