You have no idea how tiresome this has become. Note to self—no more extended blogging commitments.

Let’s start with a question this week. Why are so many people hostile towards the arts?

Here’s a good example:

Back in high school I had a part time job working for some rich people. The old man was okay but his wife thought she was the fucking Duchess of York. They were fairly new in town and it was a very affluent area. I was probably the poorest person living there. Anyway, this old broad desperately tried to ingratiate herself into the well-established circles of society and they were having none of it.

She acted as though she were a great patron of the arts and an expert in all things cultural. The problem was she was a fraud, and feigned knowledge is always exposed over time. They were nuevo riche and personally I see nothing wrong with that. As they say, it’s riche part that really matters. Yet she felt it necessary to give the impression that she was from a family of distinction or some shit. Now, if you haven’t been to finishing school, have little education and no social contacts it’s extremely difficult to buy your way into society. A lot of wealthy people are bored shitless and like nothing better than asking leading questions about your family and education and there’s no way you have the right answers. They’ve seen it all before.

Meanwhile, I was working for these people and the frumpy bitch thought she’d try to educate me. It was a painful experience. She’d put on NPR and they’d be playing Vivaldi and she’d say, “You should listen to this! Do you know what this is?” and before I could answer she’d say, “That’s Mozart, one of the greatest composers that has ever lived!” As you can imagine it was a painful experience, but the old man wasn’t cheap so I persevered. I always thought a proper horse fucking would have set her straight, but I wasn’t about to suggest it.

That horrible woman would have turned me against anything remotely cultural had I not had more pleasant experiences prior to our meeting. I think that when most people think of the arts the image of this woman or one like her come to mind because it’s become a cliché.

Most people who pursue the arts aren’t rich. They don’t travel in social circuits and they don’t go around talking about it all day. I know a lot of beer swilling, farting, regular guys who like classical music. Well, maybe not a lot, buy several. Same with painting. Not everyone who can appreciate the impressionists, or are painters themselves act like assholes. They don’t all hang around art galleries. I know a guy who paints. He’s good, and if he would have put some effort into it he probably could have become a big deal. He’s also a collector, though he’s not rich and his “collection” is insignificant to all but himself. He doesn’t sit around eating fucking canapés, either. He plays poker with us once a month and he’s a Dorito eating, gin drinking slob. He also likes opera and his house is littered with old Penthouse magazines.

I think I’ve made my point.