“A huge part of "mass culture", including TV, is downstream/distilled/etc versions of high culture, and of things originating in high culture after a time delay.”
It’s cross-town traffic not a fountain (or a golden shower). High culture picks up elements of low culture. Composers “borrow” folk music. Writers use the work of pamphleteers a…
“A huge part of "mass culture", including TV, is downstream/distilled/etc versions of high culture, and of things originating in high culture after a time delay.”
It’s cross-town traffic not a fountain (or a golden shower). High culture picks up elements of low culture. Composers “borrow” folk music. Writers use the work of pamphleteers and storytellers. Creators tend to be promiscuous in their use of sources.
“and in most of Europe even to high schoolers”
I can guarantee that I am the first person in my family’s history to know what the f- a dactylic hexameter is (as well as to be able to calculate a CAGR). My dad came out of school in the 50s barely able to read and write.
“The educated studied the classics for millenia”
The most famous classicist in the UK is Boris Johnson. I’m not sure that this is great evidence for your argument.
“I don't think replacing classical education with various bogus "studies" improved our culture, quite the contrary”
I think being able to write poetry in Ancient Greek is about a useful as being able to deconstruct the semiotics of Starsky & Hutch.
I think basic literacy and numeracy are important. Some knowledge of engineering and finance would be a bonus. Everything else? Sure…
“A huge part of "mass culture", including TV, is downstream/distilled/etc versions of high culture, and of things originating in high culture after a time delay.”
It’s cross-town traffic not a fountain (or a golden shower). High culture picks up elements of low culture. Composers “borrow” folk music. Writers use the work of pamphleteers and storytellers. Creators tend to be promiscuous in their use of sources.
“and in most of Europe even to high schoolers”
I can guarantee that I am the first person in my family’s history to know what the f- a dactylic hexameter is (as well as to be able to calculate a CAGR). My dad came out of school in the 50s barely able to read and write.
“The educated studied the classics for millenia”
The most famous classicist in the UK is Boris Johnson. I’m not sure that this is great evidence for your argument.
“I don't think replacing classical education with various bogus "studies" improved our culture, quite the contrary”
I think being able to write poetry in Ancient Greek is about a useful as being able to deconstruct the semiotics of Starsky & Hutch.
I think basic literacy and numeracy are important. Some knowledge of engineering and finance would be a bonus. Everything else? Sure…