the Butler did it (was cheap computers)

[Carrol Cox]

A theory of art would be an explanation of art in the whole complex of
social relations within which it exists. Like individuals or nations, art
has no existence in abstraction from such a complex of social relations.
What do you think a theory of art is? I doubt that there can be a theory
that tells poets how to write a poem, which is the only  kind of theory, I
should think, which would demand that one be a poet. And just where on the
spectrum do you place the dividing line between

            The salt shaker is empty.

and

            And then went down to the ship,

            Set keel to breakers, forth on the godly sea, and

            We set up mast and sail on that swart ship....

It would be ridiculous to even talk about a theory of poetry (or of any
other art) until one could make that distinction fairly unambiguously. It
would be sad, for example, to create a beautiful theory of poetry, and
then discover that one had left out two-thirds of all the world's poetry.
Or that two-thirds of the texts one had explained were not poetry.

Perhaps Gary will have something to say.

Carrol

Chuck Grimes wrote:


> Chuck seems to have the same attitude towards non-artists that Hitler
> had towards non-aryans.
>
> Carrol
> ---------
>
> Gee, Carrol, doesn't this seem just a tad overkill? The point behind
> the statement was that there is a big difference between having
> an opinion on art, forming critical judgements, positioning it in
> relation to your own views,  enjoying it and so forth--and founding an
> asethetic theory. A theory is supposed to provide a more comprehensive
> intellectual context from which you can justify and derive all of the
> above and more. In my mind, it silly to assume you can do that without
> ever engaging the activity. So a better metaphor is someone who comes
> with a theory of sex, derived from all the authority of virgins. Of
> course it didn't seem to stop the Pope--but there you have it.
>
> Chuck Grimes