New research from Norway finds a steep drop in interest in art, literature and classical music among college students between 1998 and 2008.
Are you concerned about the future of the fine arts? New research from Norway suggests you have every right to fret.
A study just published in the journal Poetics suggests art forms such as literature and classical music “are becoming increasingly more irrelevant for most students’ cultural lives.” This points to “an increasingly precarious position for traditional highbrow culture,” according to a trio of researchers led by the University of Bergen’s Jostein Gripsrud.
Gripsrud and his colleagues conducted two surveys of students enrolled at the major institutions of higher learning in the Norwegian city of Bergen: the University of Bergen, the Norwegian School of Business Administration, Bergen University College, and the National College of Art, Bergen. The first survey, conducted in late 1998 and early 1999, produced responses from 1,113 students.
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Good! That should be an area of tax support elimination. Let those interested in such nonessential areas of interest support the causes by buying the artwork and attending concerts, etc. Why should taxpayers support those wanting to make a living drawing or painting or playing a musical instrument, or whatever else they do? Let them get a real job and work at their passions part time. I love to draw and paint and photograph nature, but I do those things at leisure, not at taxpayers' expense!
ReplyDelete2:40 are you a professional artist? Probably not. It takes years of dedication and work to become a professional artist or musician. It also takes money to pay for classes, training, and the tools you need, unless you choose to teach yourself, which takes a great deal of time compared to someone teaching you the art. Maybe you should have an amateur come paint your house. I bet you think differently about martial arts classes, for you need them to learn to defend yourself. That's the problem with people, you have alot of people who want to play a instrument or learn to paint a picture, but don't have a clue as to what it takes to learn the craft. It is no different than learning carpentry, masonry, or any other skill. It takes time, effort and dedication.
ReplyDeleteOh, forgot something... Most of these programs are funded by private interest groups anyways. Educate yourself.
ReplyDeleteStrange comments there, 3:46. Most people go into a career or profession where they know they will be able to support themselves. Do you imply that professional artists choose that path expecting to be supported by society?
ReplyDelete5:38 that is a risk that you take with any career choice. And yes I personally took that risk, and have not asked society to take care of me. I do not receive any compensation or any other kind of assistance, and have not asked for it. To disdain someone and call their area of work unneeded, irrelevant or anything else is unprofessional on any level. I don't think that all the fastfood places on US 13 are a great contribution to society on any level, but guess what, that was always a place to get a job...ten years ago. I know plenty of people with college degrees of other levels that can't find jobs. Case and point: The arts, ie: music, art, literature, are all foundations that our society wants parts of, but says their meaningless or unimportant. Look at the children that right now that want to grow up to be rock stars. Few people know that these people are trained musicians, you work for it, and for some it works out, others flop and make a living playing gigs in bars. Also, food for thought: people go to church for the sermon, but you can't have the church without the choir or the pianist. The arts is one of few things that bring people together in this world. And if anyone disagrees, you need to throw away all your cds and ipods.
ReplyDeleteIn the 17th and 18th centuries royals and wealthy nobles funded the arts with their excess money. In the 19th and 20th centuries the wealthy industrialists and entrepreneurs did the same. In the 21st century the liberals want to make it illegal to be rich and they wonder why funding for the arts has dried up.
ReplyDeleteA pathetic comment on our society.
ReplyDeleteWe've bred computer literate zombies driven by dollars and instant gratification. Their insensitivity is boundless.
Some of the earlier comments prove my point.