What’s happened to literature is a form of gentrification: local or endemic values have become confused, discarded, or even rejected in favor of outside values.
Good thoughts. Concerning critics, I find it easier to welcome their role when I think of them as "praegustator", as pretasters. Who have that heightened sensibility you speak of. And boy, it comes through training and attention. So one can see that a time and world that eschews training and attention —where all must be done fast to accrue advantage points— wouldn't welcome the slower, more rigorous and very attentive people. We have downplayed judgement and literature is where ethical and aesthetic judgement best happens. Obviously, we would like to encroach that realm with our cynicism as soon and as best as we can.
Are you familiar with the scholars Suzanne Keen, Deidre Lynch and Elaine Freedgood? Former is a skeptic of literature's unproven ability to increase its readers' empathy; latter two vindicate the hypothesis with a great heaping of hope. This was a fantastic article; thank you.
Good thoughts. Concerning critics, I find it easier to welcome their role when I think of them as "praegustator", as pretasters. Who have that heightened sensibility you speak of. And boy, it comes through training and attention. So one can see that a time and world that eschews training and attention —where all must be done fast to accrue advantage points— wouldn't welcome the slower, more rigorous and very attentive people. We have downplayed judgement and literature is where ethical and aesthetic judgement best happens. Obviously, we would like to encroach that realm with our cynicism as soon and as best as we can.
Once more, fine thoughts.
A particularly thoughtful essay, Patrick, thank you.
thank you so much for reading!
Are you familiar with the scholars Suzanne Keen, Deidre Lynch and Elaine Freedgood? Former is a skeptic of literature's unproven ability to increase its readers' empathy; latter two vindicate the hypothesis with a great heaping of hope. This was a fantastic article; thank you.
Ohhh I haven’t but will investigate - thank you!