In the office this afternoon, there was a movement to fire up the aged communal hifi in order to listen to some music. A slightly awkward attempt was made to find a station palatable to all of us, which was eventually settled in favour of Radio 2. This was shortly dropped for Radio 1, but no matter, my point (there will be a point) applies to either.
I enjoyed approximately 5% of Radio 1. I can’t speak for my colleagues, but none of them were moved to dance either. It can’t have been that it was bad (though it was, dammit), because other people seemed to enjoy it immensely. Not my colleagues, but the endless stream of, to my mind, idiots that repeatedly and at their own cost called and texted the DJ. Dave in Godalming, for example, was having a whale of a time. “Heavy tune!”, he theorised. Someone else even went so far as to describe the tinny popfart that we’d all just gritted our teeth through as the “best tune in history” (I in no way exaggerate). That these people seemed to me to be actual cretins is neither here nor there. I dread to think what they would think of the stuff I listen to. Taste is subjective, which is news to nobody.
Although most people understand this, they fail to take the next logical step – that, in this wonderful market economy we live in, cultural output isn’t actually made to be everyone’s cup of tea. If I hear one more Guardian journalist ripping into the X-Factor, I may combust/roll my eyes, make inaudible tutting motions and carry on with my day. Yes, of course it’s shit, but that’s because pre-teens and idiots, who make up a huuuge percentage of the population, really like shit. It’s not for you, Mark Kermode. Similarly with the middle class's hatred of the Daily Mail. I mean, I find the bollocks they write as unpleasant as anybody. Doesn’t matter, though, they aren’t after what passes for my money. They get theirs elsewhere – from the thousands of angry, narrow-minded, moderately-educated (or they’d be reading the News of the World), lower middle class suburbanites that infest, sorry, reside in every area of the country. Everyone knows this, too. Marketing types even categorize people by their wealth, class, education, tastes and God knows how many other variables and attempt to flog them things accordingly.
What I find ridiculous, though, is the interest we all seem to take in what was clearly intended for others. Why are my middle class lefty friends (all of them, then) so hot under the collar about homophobic writing in the Mail? Alright, I’m being disingenuous – I know it’s because they (mistakenly, in my view) think the Mail influences what people think, but still. A better example is the X Factor. Why are you talking about how crap it is? Or how boring Radio 1 is? You’re right on both counts, of course, but what the devil’s it got to do with you? I think it’s a hangover from the days when there was so little cultural content produced that we all watched and listened to the same stuff/had the same experiences. Either that or we have nothing else to talk about. It’s probably that.
I enjoyed approximately 5% of Radio 1. I can’t speak for my colleagues, but none of them were moved to dance either. It can’t have been that it was bad (though it was, dammit), because other people seemed to enjoy it immensely. Not my colleagues, but the endless stream of, to my mind, idiots that repeatedly and at their own cost called and texted the DJ. Dave in Godalming, for example, was having a whale of a time. “Heavy tune!”, he theorised. Someone else even went so far as to describe the tinny popfart that we’d all just gritted our teeth through as the “best tune in history” (I in no way exaggerate). That these people seemed to me to be actual cretins is neither here nor there. I dread to think what they would think of the stuff I listen to. Taste is subjective, which is news to nobody.
Although most people understand this, they fail to take the next logical step – that, in this wonderful market economy we live in, cultural output isn’t actually made to be everyone’s cup of tea. If I hear one more Guardian journalist ripping into the X-Factor, I may combust/roll my eyes, make inaudible tutting motions and carry on with my day. Yes, of course it’s shit, but that’s because pre-teens and idiots, who make up a huuuge percentage of the population, really like shit. It’s not for you, Mark Kermode. Similarly with the middle class's hatred of the Daily Mail. I mean, I find the bollocks they write as unpleasant as anybody. Doesn’t matter, though, they aren’t after what passes for my money. They get theirs elsewhere – from the thousands of angry, narrow-minded, moderately-educated (or they’d be reading the News of the World), lower middle class suburbanites that infest, sorry, reside in every area of the country. Everyone knows this, too. Marketing types even categorize people by their wealth, class, education, tastes and God knows how many other variables and attempt to flog them things accordingly.
What I find ridiculous, though, is the interest we all seem to take in what was clearly intended for others. Why are my middle class lefty friends (all of them, then) so hot under the collar about homophobic writing in the Mail? Alright, I’m being disingenuous – I know it’s because they (mistakenly, in my view) think the Mail influences what people think, but still. A better example is the X Factor. Why are you talking about how crap it is? Or how boring Radio 1 is? You’re right on both counts, of course, but what the devil’s it got to do with you? I think it’s a hangover from the days when there was so little cultural content produced that we all watched and listened to the same stuff/had the same experiences. Either that or we have nothing else to talk about. It’s probably that.
What a load of nonsense I just don't understand but perhaps it's because I'm an ancient. However my grandaughter knows what she's at.
ReplyDeleteGrandaughter says: Yes DV but aren't we entitled to have opinons about things that aren't nesscarily intended for us, especially if we think they're harmful to society e.g. The Daily Mail and the hate it spews.
Yes, you're right, there's clearly nothing wrong with people having opinions about things that actually have an effect. The Mail being a good example. I did mention that above (at least I thought I did).
ReplyDeleteI really mean things that don't affect anyone, though. X Factor, Radio 1, Hannah Montana, Mamma Mia, the Liberal Democrats, that kind of thing.