The argument about rich people and art is hopelessly distorted by subjective bias. Millions of people buy automobiles for tens of thousands of dollars knowing full well that using and maintaining those machines will cost many thousands more and even then they will likely regard them as nearly worthless after a few years. A good work of art may cost about the same as a mid-priced auto but has very little maintenance costs and provides its utility (aesthetic) for an indefinite period and may actually become far more valuable than its initial value cost. If the average person can spend 30 or 40 thousand on a car with a use span of about 10 years at the outside, why can't they spend a few thousand a year on art, or good literature, etc? The sense of a personal vehicle is practically nil today when the capability of transit technology can move more people more easily and cheaply than ever before.
So get out there and buy some art. Besides, how does Miller expect to pay for and stock those museums? The big bail out in the US eliminated 500 million for the NEA (and public art) without a squeak from the people and their representatives. In America, art is analogous to waste and evil. That's one of the dumber aspects of the American mythology that was first formulated in the early days of the puritans and their humbugging nonsense. WC --- On Thu, 2/12/09, Chris Miller <[email protected]> wrote: > From: Chris Miller <[email protected]> > Subject: The best measure of taste > To: [email protected] > Date: Thursday, February 12, 2009, 9:46 AM > >The best measure of taste as you have described it might > be what they > commissioned and paid for. (Kate) > > Should we only count the tastes of rich people ? Who else > can afford the > things they like the most ? (except where mass > reproduction is involved -- as > in books and records) > > And -- even among the things we really like -- how many of > them would we want > to see every day in our home ? > > I think the best things belong in a special, public place > -- like a temple or > museum -- and not only rich people should get to put them > there. > > ____________________________________________________________ > Need cash? Click to get a cash advance. > http://thirdpartyoffers.netzero.net/TGL2231/fc/PnY6rc02AfMJGGhF67nkjAbLGsf0RT > HyH9e4oXuXx3BBxAFZmmjGU/
