On 2023-04-10 3:51 AM, Charles Packer wrote:
> On Sun, 09 Apr 2023 15:10:43 -0400, Joel Polowin wrote:
>> I think that it isn't remotely plausible to call it a "fad". People
>> have been critical of works of art because of the artists' behaviour for
>> a *long* time. I'm not even convinced that it's much more common now
>> than in the past.
> I've been a reader of reviews in newspapers for 50 years --
> of literature, art and music, and I'll say again that it's a
> fad. Or you could call it "critical reassessment" or you could
> call it self-flagellation by the chattering classes. Whatever.
> But it's most certainly a thing in the past decade.

A thing in the past decade, yes. More so now than in previous decades,
I profoundly doubt. And "fad" implies a passing trend, and I don't
think that's the case either.

Joel

--
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On 4/10/23 3:57 PM, Joel Polowin wrote:
> On 2023-04-10 3:51 AM, Charles Packer wrote:
>> On Sun, 09 Apr 2023 15:10:43 -0400, Joel Polowin wrote:
>>> I think that it isn't remotely plausible to call it a "fad".  People
>>> have been critical of works of art because of the artists' behaviour for
>>> a *long* time.  I'm not even convinced that it's much more common now
>>> than in the past.
>> I've been a reader of reviews in newspapers for 50 years --
>> of literature, art and music, and I'll say again that it's a
>> fad. Or you could call it "critical reassessment" or you could
>> call it self-flagellation by the chattering classes. Whatever.
>> But it's most certainly a thing in the past decade.
>
> A thing in the past decade, yes.  More so now than in previous decades,
> I profoundly doubt.  And "fad" implies a passing trend, and I don't
> think that's the case either.

It's become a lot more visible because of the Internet. Before that,
people who hated an author or artist needed to go out on a sidewalk and
hold signs. If they were very lucky, they got into the local TV news.

--
Gary McGath http://www.mcgath.com

On Mon, 10 Apr 2023 15:57:13 -0400, Joel Polowin wrote:

> On 2023-04-10 3:51 AM, Charles Packer wrote:
>> On Sun, 09 Apr 2023 15:10:43 -0400, Joel Polowin wrote:
>>> I think that it isn't remotely plausible to call it a "fad". People
>>> have been critical of works of art because of the artists' behaviour
>>> for a *long* time. I'm not even convinced that it's much more common
>>> now than in the past.
>> I've been a reader of reviews in newspapers for 50 years -- of
>> literature, art and music, and I'll say again that it's a fad. Or you
>> could call it "critical reassessment" or you could call it
>> self-flagellation by the chattering classes. Whatever.
>> But it's most certainly a thing in the past decade.
>
> A thing in the past decade, yes. More so now than in previous decades,
> I profoundly doubt. And "fad" implies a passing trend, and I don't
> think that's the case either.
>
> Joel

Yes, fad wasn't the right word. How about "ongoing project" to cast
doubt on some artists? That would make me a conspiracy theorist, though.