Becoming a cultured person, “just like NYC intellectuals”

[Anonymous]

Please forgive me if this is entirely ridiculous but I have nowhere else to ask and it’s bothering me.
I have to say I am an immigrant, for context. I’ve noticed that it is fairly difficult to “become cultured” here in the US. I don’t mean to criticize, just trying to gauge my observations. My son goes to public school and there is hardly any classics that they read, and it mostly depends on the teacher too. Seeing ballet or even a play that’s not local amateur level is very expensive. Museums are mostly natural history and not art museums, and if it’s art it’s mostly modern art. At least that’s true for where we live, and we have moved away from the DMV.
Anyway, I’ve become a little obsessed with what I call the NYC intellectuals. For me it’s the people from Woody Allen’s earlier movies with their clever puns and references and allusions to great works of art, and also some of the NPR programming like Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me and all the smart people there. I know it’s probably a very limited view
So anyway, my questions are two:
- what is considered cultured, refined, etc in the US?
- can a child who grew up far away from NYC become a true NYC intellectual? Or it’s just something only for 2nd+ Gen New Yorkers?

Again, I apologize for the limitations of my questions, I am trying to get a good understanding of intellectualism and “culturedness” (if that’s even a word) in the US but I don’t see much discussion honestly!

[Anonymous]

Subscribe to the New Yorker and start listening to NPR!

[Anonymous]

OP, unfortunately you are going to get a lot of troll responses similar to the above.

[Anonymous]

Culture is cultivated, not taught in schools. Likewise, children have to want to cultivate it or it won't really take.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Please forgive me if this is entirely ridiculous but I have nowhere else to ask and it’s bothering me.
I have to say I am an immigrant, for context. I’ve noticed that it is fairly difficult to “become cultured” here in the US. I don’t mean to criticize, just trying to gauge my observations. My son goes to public school and there is hardly any classics that they read, and it mostly depends on the teacher too. Seeing ballet or even a play that’s not local amateur level is very expensive. Museums are mostly natural history and not art museums, and if it’s art it’s mostly modern art. At least that’s true for where we live, and we have moved away from the DMV.
Anyway, I’ve become a little obsessed with what I call the NYC intellectuals. For me it’s the people from Woody Allen’s earlier movies with their clever puns and references and allusions to great works of art, and also some of the NPR programming like Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me and all the smart people there. I know it’s probably a very limited view
So anyway, my questions are two:
- what is considered cultured, refined, etc in the US?
- can a child who grew up far away from NYC become a true NYC intellectual? Or it’s just something only for 2nd+ Gen New Yorkers?

Again, I apologize for the limitations of my questions, I am trying to get a good understanding of intellectualism and “culturedness” (if that’s even a word) in the US but I don’t see much discussion honestly!

I don’t think that NYC intellectuals are really a thing anymore. We (doctor and journalist) live in NYC, and nowadays money rules - not culture.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Subscribe to the New Yorker and start listening to NPR!

NPR jumped the shark a long time ago.

OP, you can normally buy season tickets to theaters or concert halls, and this reduces the price substantially. There are still thoughtful books being published. It's more difficult to find media that is actually intellectual, but most of it is longform (podcasts).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Please forgive me if this is entirely ridiculous but I have nowhere else to ask and it’s bothering me.
I have to say I am an immigrant, for context. I’ve noticed that it is fairly difficult to “become cultured” here in the US. I don’t mean to criticize, just trying to gauge my observations. My son goes to public school and there is hardly any classics that they read, and it mostly depends on the teacher too. Seeing ballet or even a play that’s not local amateur level is very expensive. Museums are mostly natural history and not art museums, and if it’s art it’s mostly modern art. At least that’s true for where we live, and we have moved away from the DMV.
Anyway, I’ve become a little obsessed with what I call the NYC intellectuals. For me it’s the people from Woody Allen’s earlier movies with their clever puns and references and allusions to great works of art, and also some of the NPR programming like Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me and all the smart people there. I know it’s probably a very limited view
So anyway, my questions are two:
- what is considered cultured, refined, etc in the US?
- can a child who grew up far away from NYC become a true NYC intellectual? Or it’s just something only for 2nd+ Gen New Yorkers?

Again, I apologize for the limitations of my questions, I am trying to get a good understanding of intellectualism and “culturedness” (if that’s even a word) in the US but I don’t see much discussion honestly!

I don’t think that NYC intellectuals are really a thing anymore. We (doctor and journalist) live in NYC, and nowadays money rules - not culture.

What a silly thing to say. OP never said being cultured "rules."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Subscribe to the New Yorker and start listening to NPR!

I am already listening to NPR a lot but either the timing is wrong or there’s just not enough culture on it, but for me it’s mostly news and current events (which is great but not exactly what I am looking for). There is some modern cultural phenomena discussed but honestly it’s often not my cup of tea.
The New Yorker is a good idea though! Even if my son never reads it, it’s around the house… or maybe I should subscribe digitally and casually mention something I read

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Culture is cultivated, not taught in schools. Likewise, children have to want to cultivate it or it won't really take.

Yes! A kid might think something is very cool and want to know more but you won't cultivate fascination and understanding if they find it all "boring".

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Culture is cultivated, not taught in schools. Likewise, children have to want to cultivate it or it won't really take.

💯
It comes from the parents/the home/who they see in their homes for dinner parties, meetings, coffees/what you expose them to.

[Anonymous]

In private school, they read all of the classics and learn about all the world religions, art history, etc. At least they do at my kids' Jesuit high school.

Being well-educated to me is having knowledge in all areas, I say that as a STEM grad degree/STEM field.

There is a push around here to force STEM and only STEM down kids' throats while forgoing the classics, geography, world religion, ethics, art, etc.

[Anonymous]

Read the New York Times every day, The Atlantic, and the New Yorker. You can add to that list but that would get you a long way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Culture is cultivated, not taught in schools. Likewise, children have to want to cultivate it or it won't really take.

Yes! A kid might think something is very cool and want to know more but you won't cultivate fascination and understanding if they find it all "boring".

OP here. This is my worry. I know tons of examples when either only one parent is cultured and the kid takes after the other one, or when the environment is just not conducive.
I think my question is - is it even possible (with two divorced more cultured than average parents, and living in an educated but imho uncultured area) to grow up an intellectual?

[Anonymous]

Private clubs with salons to discuss these things.

Agree, start at home: Meal convos

And minimum 1x a month family theater/opera/museum followed by dinner to discuss

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Culture is cultivated, not taught in schools. Likewise, children have to want to cultivate it or it won't really take.

Yes! A kid might think something is very cool and want to know more but you won't cultivate fascination and understanding if they find it all "boring".

OP here. This is my worry. I know tons of examples when either only one parent is cultured and the kid takes after the other one, or when the environment is just not conducive.
I think my question is - is it even possible (with two divorced more cultured than average parents, and living in an educated but imho uncultured area) to grow up an intellectual?

How cultured are YoU?
What are you doing at home?
Do you have a family book club/reading list?