(no subject)

[blue_lotus13]

I've been thinking lately about intellectual discourse. Aside from university education, I think we've become very dumbed down as a culture. I have intellectual discussions with my friends occasionally, but generally, people are more interested in things, rather than ideas. I think we tend to spend more time discussing every day life and experiences, rather than ideas.

I wonder if this has been the truth during all historical periods, or if it's only true now. As a result of advanced communications technology, we have greater ability to disseminate information. However, do we take advantage of this? Did people have more philosophical discussions in the past? Is the culture of "the salon" (and I don't mean the beauty salon") dead? Is the main purpose of art (films and books) to make us think and discuss these ideas?

Perhaps I need to go back to school.

Comments

[monkeyhouse.livejournal.com]

i sometimes think we've become so driven by the pursuit of cash and fineries, that we no longer take (precious) time to just slow down and gather together and just TALK. i love the idea of salons after having read about how popular they were back in vistorian times and whatnot... but how are you going to pull people away from their big screen teevees and computers and errand-running and long hours at the job and whatnot in order to have intellectual discourse?

though hey, stitch & bitch essions seem to be gathering steam... maybe that's today's "salon"?

[mizrobot]

This is something I think about sometimes too. I think the culture of the salon is seeing a revival, at least here in the States. I work for a public television station, and every single week we hold a salon-style "community conversation." Other such conversations are popping up as well, and PBS is involved in a nation-wide effort to promote salons in different communities throughout the country. However, most of the conversations are centered around politics and public affairs issues, rather than art and philosophy.

Utne Reader has also been a force in promoting the salon culture, both in real life and online.

[kumquatmay]

Keep in mind I'm extremely cynical when it comes to intellectualism, etc...

I think the culture of the salon was originally only for a very very select few--those who were rich enough to be both well-educated and not have to work for a living, or were students on their way to becoming well-educated. (For what it's worth, my great grandmother ran a salon in Vienna and when she emigrated to NY, her home there.)

I think that in college and university circles, there's still a lot of philosophical discussions, a lot of talk of movies, books, readings, etc. Once you graduate though, few live the life that can afford the free time to wax philosophical.

I know my college friends and I talked about this stuff in school. Now, looking back, I can't help but think we were just being pretenous. Now that we are in the world earning a living, our conversations take a different path--we talk about work, relationships, and take a more lighthearted approach to tv, books, movies. If we go to museums it's not to overwhelm others with our knowledge, or play at being intellectual. It's because we like art, sometimes because it's pretty, sometimes because it makes us think.

I work in a creative field, and deal with a lot of people who think of themselves as artistes. My take is a little more laid back than that. While they're certainly talented, I don't think the world will come to an end if someone doesn't think their book is Important with a capital I. I'd just rather that the buying public get enjoyment--or really, anything at all--out of it.

But as I said, I'm cynical. I like conversations, but (unlike what I thought my junior year) there are more important things in life than Sartre.

[blue-lotus.livejournal.com]

I don't think this is cynical at all. I think this is realistic.

I agree with your point about things being "Important", and I go to galleries for the same reason you do.

I'm just as apt to watch an indie film as a new piece of blockbuster schlock.

[elf-chick.livejournal.com]

i think about this all the time.

[trec-lit.livejournal.com]

I think this is a really interesting point you raise and one of the reason's I really love working in the library field. The BC Library Association has a salon every month. It is usually at someone's house, there is a potluck before hand and then everyone settles in to listen to a guest speaker and have a discussion on that month's topic. I have only been to one on open access but it was really interesting and something I hope to go to more often. I also read something about conversation cafes starting up here. I haven't looked into it more but it seems that the whole idea of the "salon" is coming back, just in a slightly different form.

[ihvpave.livejournal.com]

One of my more favorite quotes (from my Tough Dames calendar) is something to the effect of great people talk about ideas, average people talk about things, and dull people talk about wine.

Maybe it's the people I spend my time with, but I am just as likely to have a conversation about John Locke now as I was in college. Then again, in college, I was just as likely to babble incoherently about Steel Magnolias as I am now.