Gordon, I’ll make this very, very clear: I wasn’t referring to you.
It was a general announcement. I’m sorry for the confusion, but surely you’ve seen how this culture treats ‘art.’ My opinion is the least condescending of all. Hell, I’m trying to figure out why it’s so hard for people to appreciate anything anymore. It just chaps my ass when anyone throws around ‘art’ and ‘appreciation’ in the same sentence as if one is mutual to the other. It wasn’t only you who did this, and my tone didn’t mean to be condescending. That’s just how I write, and speak (not everyday speaking, the annoying, podium-based speaking), on most occasions, as well.
When people are engaging in an argument and you argue “This argument isn’t worth having” that is a great example of condescension… I can’t even think of a better example off the top of my head.
You’re trying out a verbose form of Yawn. Your vocabulary has expanded but your intent and character have not.
“I dislike The White Stripes, Steve dislikes Pink Floyd, we agree to disagree and that’s done with it.”
I NEVER agree to disagree. Discussion is about communication between disagreements. Disagreement is an incompletion.
I hate to agree with anyone. It humiliates me to have to share a position with another human. And besides… what is there to explore with agreement? “I agree” is about all you can say and that does little. Disagreement allows for communication and exploration.
As discussion proceeds, one side emerges or there is a merging of the positions. As discussion proceeds, disagreement TURNS INTO agreement. And once that happens, interest is lost and the NEXT disagreement is tacked.
Agreeing to disagree is the worst sort of thing a human can do. Its right up the alley of people too afraid to engage in words.
An exploration… a COMMUNICATION.
Do you know why Steve dislikes Pink Floyd and does Steve know why you dislike the White Stripes?
This thread quickly became a screaming trainwreck. In Met_K’s lovable, sledgehammer fashion, he has a point. Everything humans put their hands to is art because it expresses some vision… or not. The banter is neverending and moot. It’s like arguing with your wife/girlfriend about putting the toilet seat up or down. No one wins.
Dave Barry has an upcoming column discussing some wonderful nuances of modern British art. I’m not sure if it’s in today’s paper or will be published Sunday – but keep an eye out for it. (I can’t post it here since I don’t know if it’s been published). It’ll give a little humor to the endless art/not art argument.
