Does a Form of “High Culture” That Is Superior to Other Forms of Culture Exist in Society?

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Does a form of “high culture” that is superior to other forms of culture exist in society? Well that would certainly depend on who you ask. For some people, “high” culture and “art” is regarded as simply a mere classification of objects and practices by people who have the ability and authority to make such distinctions. In the article ““High,” “Popular”, and “Low” Cultures in Everyday Life”, by David Inglis, he acknowledges the existence of “high” and “low” cultures in society. However, Inglis later goes on to emphasize that due to the blurry line between cultural distinctions, people in modern day society tend to blend and mix together all sorts of cultural practices to suit their interests instead of adhering to a set, distinct culture. While the retention of “high” and “low” cultures has helped the advancement of culture in the past, the rejection of this classification in today’s society is the logical choice. Despite the many mixed opinions regarding this topic, if you were to ask Theodor Adorno in the 20th century whether he thought the previously mentioned form of high culture existed in society, he would give a very confident and pronounced “yes”. To Adorno, “high” culture “involves the best works of art that have ever been produced.” He believed art that is “high” culture is intrinsically better and composed of a better quality than all other art of its kind. For example, if you were to compare classical music against a modern pop song, he would likely hail the classical work as musically dynamic, sophisticated, and refined, while dismissing the pop song with an upturned nose. All forms of “high” art are intrinsically better than cultural products that fall under the category of “popular” culture. To Adorno, “high” culture is not just about appreciating and collecting the most important works in the world, but also about shaping the everyday

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