[Glice]

Mmm... you're opening an argument that's a bit longer than I want to give time to right now... briefly

I feel slightly torn between egalitarian arguments of art and slightly more 'classical' arguments of craft, graft, practise (etc). On the one hand, I have an emotional investment to the idea that anyone can do art; potentially, a lot of this could be good. I've never held much stock with the hoary argument thrown at modern art of 'I could do that'. With writing, this isn't so much of a problem - it takes a long time to write a book and the 'aesthetic infrastructure' (such as it is) tends to prohibit every schlep with a laptop putting out their piss-awful poetry (or whatever). I tend to think visual art has innumerable tensions in its current qualia, but I'm happy that the zeitgeist's sword of Damacles turns swiftly enough for it not to concern me overly. Music-wise... too many people making it, and the 'rock' despair (which has seemingly taken hold of the mainstream since '91 or so) at 'chops' is preventing some amazing musicians 'showing off' (not a bad thing in itself).

Hmm. Poorly articulated I'm afraid... basically, a series of tensions in the arts, but generally I wouldn't object to a bit more explicit skill or virtuousity. These things exist, of course, which makes my criticism a bit limpid.