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Kwek00 · 41-45, M
@Elessar I think most people that look at things, perceive this neoliberal moment as one of the cornerstones of the current illiberal revolt. But some people still put Reagan, Tatcher, ... and their economists on a pedestal. But Cedric has some pompous elitism going for himself, so in his case, it's probably a good thing to embrace ideas that pamper to those feelings.
You spot a pompous yuppie, the moment that they make objective claims and set the bar on something subjective as taste. 🤷♂
SOURCE:
https://similarworlds.com/politics/5442988-My-triangular-political-identity
https://similarworlds.com/politics/5412690-Teen-movie-aesthetics-and-the-decline-of-political-culture
That’s where our political culture is today. Tasteless, unrefined, devoid of class, immodest, unrestrained, rude, loud, artificial and crass.
Elite aesthetics have been replaced by an embrace of trendy populism.
- CedricH, 04.10.2025
Elite aesthetics have been replaced by an embrace of trendy populism.
- CedricH, 04.10.2025
You spot a pompous yuppie, the moment that they make objective claims and set the bar on something subjective as taste. 🤷♂
SOURCE:
https://similarworlds.com/politics/5442988-My-triangular-political-identity
https://similarworlds.com/politics/5412690-Teen-movie-aesthetics-and-the-decline-of-political-culture
CedricH · 22-25, M
@Kwek00 The quote succinctly captures the essence of my post about teen movie aesthetics. That being said, I didn’t claim that my preferences in this regard were in any way objectively superior to other tastes, styles or ways of expression. After all, one can’t quantify beauty and behavioral norms change so the benchmarks are always in flux. I was clearly talking about my subjective preferences and I drew a line between what I see as an aesthetic as well as cultural decay on screen and the implosion of a proper and decent political culture and atmosphere in the US over the last decade.
Kwek00 · 41-45, M
@CedricH The "imo" part, is not really excisting in your post. But I guess it's only subjective superiority then, because it's really clear that there is such a thing as an "elite aesthetic". What the word "populism" is doing there, is also a bit weird for me... Also, America has made a lot of "pulp" through the years and people have been complaining about it for just as long:
This is just one quote, that I happened to have read today on my trip to and from the workplace. It's taken by Henry Pickers' account of Hitlers table talks and I've read it in Rainer Zittlemans' reprint "Hitler's National Socialism" (previously called: Hitler: The Policies of Seduction).You can read the contempt for popular culture in so many elitist writings and it crosses over the conservative-progressive cleavage. It goes from those conservatives that have a tradition since the 18th century to complain about the decline of culture to the Frankfurt School and Theodor Adornos' hate for Jazz and other forms of popular music. These types only put the blame on other phenomena, but all formulate their feelings of decline and despair for what is to come. And this is only in modern times.
I really wonder when that "descent political culture and atmosphere in the US" actually excisted? When did this happen? Because I can only imagine it, and that's what I think is the crux, that there is an imagined concept of the US. The same imagination that falls under the toppic of: "The US acting as a benevolent global hegemon", which is part of the Neoconservative fairy tale.
It has recently been observed repeatedly that unsuitable arguments have been used in the polemics against the USA. What we cite against this nation is primarly its total lack of culture. The disgusting adulation of film stars, for example, demonstrates a general lack of truly great ideals. The extreme degree of sensationalism, which does not even shrink back from the most revolting displays such as female boxing, wrestling in filth and mud, the public showing of freaks, the parading of the relatives of particularly vile criminals and such things is telling proof of the lack of the culture in this country.
- Adolf Hitler, 28.03.1938
- Adolf Hitler, 28.03.1938
This is just one quote, that I happened to have read today on my trip to and from the workplace. It's taken by Henry Pickers' account of Hitlers table talks and I've read it in Rainer Zittlemans' reprint "Hitler's National Socialism" (previously called: Hitler: The Policies of Seduction).You can read the contempt for popular culture in so many elitist writings and it crosses over the conservative-progressive cleavage. It goes from those conservatives that have a tradition since the 18th century to complain about the decline of culture to the Frankfurt School and Theodor Adornos' hate for Jazz and other forms of popular music. These types only put the blame on other phenomena, but all formulate their feelings of decline and despair for what is to come. And this is only in modern times.
I drew a line between what I see as an aesthetic as well as cultural decay on screen and the implosion of a proper and decent political culture and atmosphere in the US over the last decade.
I really wonder when that "descent political culture and atmosphere in the US" actually excisted? When did this happen? Because I can only imagine it, and that's what I think is the crux, that there is an imagined concept of the US. The same imagination that falls under the toppic of: "The US acting as a benevolent global hegemon", which is part of the Neoconservative fairy tale.