Comments on: My Tastes Aren’t Cultured, and I Don’t Care http://www.fireandknowledge.org/archives/2009/02/14/my-tastes-arent-cultured-and-i-dont-care/ A web site by Joshua Sowin that addresses culture, books, technology, ecology, religion, and other topics. Thu, 02 Feb 2012 22:20:20 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: John http://www.fireandknowledge.org/archives/2009/02/14/my-tastes-arent-cultured-and-i-dont-care/comment-page-1/#comment-93496 John Sat, 21 Feb 2009 01:05:07 +0000 http://www.fireandknowledge.org/archives/2009/02/14/my-tastes-arent-cultured-and-i-dont-care/#comment-93496 Yes, I try to read John Owen because that's who you're supposed to read. But your post makes me want to read Huck Finn and drink a beer. Yes, I try to read John Owen because that’s who you’re supposed to read. But your post makes me want to read Huck Finn and drink a beer.

]]> By: Mark Kadijk http://www.fireandknowledge.org/archives/2009/02/14/my-tastes-arent-cultured-and-i-dont-care/comment-page-1/#comment-93477 Mark Kadijk Fri, 20 Feb 2009 20:22:53 +0000 http://www.fireandknowledge.org/archives/2009/02/14/my-tastes-arent-cultured-and-i-dont-care/#comment-93477 Knowing yourself and being comfortable with that, even in the face of criticism, is more important than being "cultured". But I must say, we need to be both careful to allow others to have their opinion, and to allow ourselves to enjoy aspects of "popular culture" that we may risk being criticized for. A good example would be a person who will not admit to liking a popular song because it is not 'classical' or 'indie'. Knowing yourself and being comfortable with that, even in the face of criticism, is more important than being “cultured”. But I must say, we need to be both careful to allow others to have their opinion, and to allow ourselves to enjoy aspects of “popular culture” that we may risk being criticized for. A good example would be a person who will not admit to liking a popular song because it is not ‘classical’ or ‘indie’.

]]> By: Rick Ritchie http://www.fireandknowledge.org/archives/2009/02/14/my-tastes-arent-cultured-and-i-dont-care/comment-page-1/#comment-93172 Rick Ritchie Tue, 17 Feb 2009 04:40:47 +0000 http://www.fireandknowledge.org/archives/2009/02/14/my-tastes-arent-cultured-and-i-dont-care/#comment-93172 The Bacon quote reminds me of another by Dorothy Parker: "This is not a novel to be tossed aside lightly. It should be thrown with great force." The Bacon quote reminds me of another by Dorothy Parker: “This is not a novel to be tossed aside lightly. It should be thrown with great force.”

]]> By: GeorgeT http://www.fireandknowledge.org/archives/2009/02/14/my-tastes-arent-cultured-and-i-dont-care/comment-page-1/#comment-93147 GeorgeT Mon, 16 Feb 2009 22:01:32 +0000 http://www.fireandknowledge.org/archives/2009/02/14/my-tastes-arent-cultured-and-i-dont-care/#comment-93147 You are cultured, really, Josh, but cultured in your own way. We can't have other people's tastes, much as we might try, especially when we are young and impressionable. One of the joys of maturity is in finding one's own tastes and developing them. You are cultured, really, Josh, but cultured in your own way. We can’t have other people’s tastes, much as we might try, especially when we are young and impressionable. One of the joys of maturity is in finding one’s own tastes and developing them.

]]> By: Jeremy http://www.fireandknowledge.org/archives/2009/02/14/my-tastes-arent-cultured-and-i-dont-care/comment-page-1/#comment-93133 Jeremy Mon, 16 Feb 2009 18:34:33 +0000 http://www.fireandknowledge.org/archives/2009/02/14/my-tastes-arent-cultured-and-i-dont-care/#comment-93133 Yes, yes, yes. Sounds like we've had similar experiences and have come to the same conclusion. I know there is a place for self-discipline and acquiring a taste for things that aren't immediately enjoyable. Nevertheless it is still true that "life is too short for reading books I don’t enjoy." Yes, yes, yes. Sounds like we’ve had similar experiences and have come to the same conclusion. I know there is a place for self-discipline and acquiring a taste for things that aren’t immediately enjoyable. Nevertheless it is still true that “life is too short for reading books I don’t enjoy.”

]]> By: Nate http://www.fireandknowledge.org/archives/2009/02/14/my-tastes-arent-cultured-and-i-dont-care/comment-page-1/#comment-93125 Nate Mon, 16 Feb 2009 16:33:16 +0000 http://www.fireandknowledge.org/archives/2009/02/14/my-tastes-arent-cultured-and-i-dont-care/#comment-93125 I believe that's something that we all have to come to grips with. I find myself trying to like music that I really don't like. Do I really like LCD Soundsystem, or is that me trying to like them to say that I'm in "the know?" If your not in the know these days in terms of clothing style or movies or music or television shows, you might get behind, whatever that means. But I must say, that I like your website because you put good quotes on it by Wendall Berry, Mark Twain, Steinback, Dillard. I mean, seriously, how many websites, quote authors these days? Or literature. So I hope that your distate for too much taste doesn't mean your going to stop putting thinkers up. I know it's hard to put up good quotes every day. I know that I would have a hard time doing that. Twain's point is a good one. We can't become snobby people with our 'tastes.' There is certainly a divide that I see in my own small North Carolina town that I live in a divide between the educated readers and the easy going non-readers. Is there a way to make those educated people less snobby enough to the point of gently helping their friends read a bit? And vice versa, perhaps the artists coming out of their world of ideals into the real? I believe that’s something that we all have to come to grips with. I find myself trying to like music that I really don’t like. Do I really like LCD Soundsystem, or is that me trying to like them to say that I’m in “the know?” If your not in the know these days in terms of clothing style or movies or music or television shows, you might get behind, whatever that means.

But I must say, that I like your website because you put good quotes on it by Wendall Berry, Mark Twain, Steinback, Dillard. I mean, seriously, how many websites, quote authors these days? Or literature. So I hope that your distate for too much taste doesn’t mean your going to stop putting thinkers up. I know it’s hard to put up good quotes every day. I know that I would have a hard time doing that.

Twain’s point is a good one. We can’t become snobby people with our ‘tastes.’ There is certainly a divide that I see in my own small North Carolina town that I live in a divide between the educated readers and the easy going non-readers. Is there a way to make those educated people less snobby enough to the point of gently helping their friends read a bit? And vice versa, perhaps the artists coming out of their world of ideals into the real?

]]> By: jordan buckley http://www.fireandknowledge.org/archives/2009/02/14/my-tastes-arent-cultured-and-i-dont-care/comment-page-1/#comment-92968 jordan buckley Sat, 14 Feb 2009 19:06:36 +0000 http://www.fireandknowledge.org/archives/2009/02/14/my-tastes-arent-cultured-and-i-dont-care/#comment-92968 Nice. Few have the courage to say something like that. Nice. Few have the courage to say something like that.

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