Forget about understanding the antique. It's no longer considered relevant to know about, let alone understand, much of anything except sociopolitical or ideological fashion. Never mind art history--who cares? Just make sure to be PC and focus on "content," not artistic quality. Pathetic.
Why are intelligent people so easily fooled? Well, for starters, intelligence is not the same as wisdom, and intelligence may only apply in a limited sense or sphere, not to everything. A great scientific or literary genius, for instance, may simply have no eye for art and therefore no fitness for dealing with it. The same may apply (and frequently does) to people who are extremely sharp and successful at making money, hence any number of rather dubious "major" collectors. In other words, being exceptionally good or smart in a certain field need not extend to other areas, and often doesn't.
Frankfurt's analysis of bullshit is indispensable reading for our times. We need more thinkers like him.
Forget about understanding the antique. It's no longer considered relevant to know about, let alone understand, much of anything except sociopolitical or ideological fashion. Never mind art history--who cares? Just make sure to be PC and focus on "content," not artistic quality. Pathetic.
Why are intelligent people so easily fooled? Well, for starters, intelligence is not the same as wisdom, and intelligence may only apply in a limited sense or sphere, not to everything. A great scientific or literary genius, for instance, may simply have no eye for art and therefore no fitness for dealing with it. The same may apply (and frequently does) to people who are extremely sharp and successful at making money, hence any number of rather dubious "major" collectors. In other words, being exceptionally good or smart in a certain field need not extend to other areas, and often doesn't.
Thanks for the great essay!