Becoming a cultured person, “just like NYC intellectuals”

[Anonymous]

On the performing arts side, there's a ton of classical music and dance content on YouTube. If you look up the major performing arts companies they all have channels and some of them have really good behind-the-scenes/explain-the-music content that's accessible to a general audience but not at all dumbed down. The Royal Opera Company and Royal Ballet in London are particularly good for this. It feels like the way my dad, who was the sort of NY intellectual you're imagining, used to teach me the plots of operas and what to listen for. Once you start down those rabbit holes, you'll find all kinds of related material.

[Anonymous]

The peculiarity (problem? yes, most likely) of today's time is that what constitutes the "intelligentsia" insofar as one can claim it are the same people who spend most of their time disdaining all the old benchmarks of culture. Instead of writing articles about a gifted orchestra, they now write articles about how white the orchestra's audience is and judging the symphony for not having enough blacks in the orchestra. The music has become besides the point. That's what NPR and NYT have become. They're most definitely not what they were pre 2000, especially pre 1990.

Because of the collapse in intellectual honesty and sincerity of the American intelligentsia, we really don't have the same kind of people with the same kind of cultural hold. The best thing is for you to decide what *you* like and not follow what someone in the NYT says. If anything, I'd say do the opposite of what the NYT or NPR tells you. You can go to exhibitions on your own, you can visit museums, you can sign up for talks, you can form your own book club. And there's still plenty of genuinely intellectual writing on art and music and culture. It just won't be in the pages of the NYT. But look around more carefully and you'll find them.

[Anonymous]

Op you should read this economic/class theory that explains the US. I found it on dcum before.

You are looking to the in the E section (if I remember it right). I’ll find it and link it. Wait a minute while I look…

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Op you should read this economic/class theory that explains the US. I found it on dcum before.

You are looking to the in the E section (if I remember it right). I’ll find it and link it. Wait a minute while I look…

This is the link: https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/652885.page

[Anonymous]

OP, have you read Cultural Literacy by E.D. Hirsch? Education is a big part of it, and you're right that public schools won't sufficiently cover this.

[Anonymous]

I think your focus on NYC is a bit off. It really depends more on your social circles and what you're exposed to. Just stay away from Southern California.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think your focus on NYC is a bit off. It really depends more on your social circles and what you're exposed to. Just stay away from Southern California.

Lol. Checks out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: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.

only if you are a screaming liberal. No one I know does that anymore

[Anonymous]

This is interesting but I keep thinking it only talks about Western world art and music. Can art and music from Asia or South America be part of this discussion?

I love classical music and art and I try to expose my son between soccer practices and all the sports/ school/ play dates but it’s hard.

[Anonymous]

It's not hard to be "cultured" if it's something to that interests you. Reading classics or visiting certain museums because you think that's what you should do instead of being something you enjoy is where you are going wrong.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: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.

they can learn world religion and philosophy in college via gen ed classes.

HS kids read the classics. My kids have read a few classics in school.

As for art, I took an honors (real honors, not the fake ones like today) humanities class in HS where we learned about modern art. Honestly, I found some of the art pointless, and not aesthetically pleasing at all. I don't find people who are into art all that "cultured". I find them a bit pretentious. There was some show or something about how a bunch of art critics were shown some drawing, and they were asked to critique it. They were all oohing and ahhing it, critiquing the technique and what have you, only to be told that it was scribbled by a 5 year old, someone's nephew or something. It's all BS. Drawing a squiggly line is considered "art".

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you're sending your kids the message that they need to be doctors or engineers in order to become successful, it'll be an uphill battle to raise children to be true intellectuals.
IME, true intellectuals are encouraged to value the arts, history, literature, and culture broadly--it's not just a hobby, but a serious and important part of being a human being. Of course, if your children end up being doctors or engineers, that's great, but you really have to instill in your kids that that's not the end-all, be-all of education.
Once you have that down, spend time reading the NYT, visit museums, go to the Kennedy Center, watch classic films together, etc. Enroll your kids in music and art lessons.

I am actually not the type of immigrant parent you are referring to here I know what you mean.
I think some PPs correctly stated that in many cases knowledge is viewed through the lens of how much money it will make you. I am pretty sure some of that trickles down to the kids, even if there isn’t a lot of pressure to choose a certain path.
I am still optimistic (even after reading the responses) that it’s possible to value culture as a sort of a side dish, or maybe all-encompassing view that rises above the specific profession someone has.
-OP

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is interesting but I keep thinking it only talks about Western world art and music. Can art and music from Asia or South America be part of this discussion?

I love classical music and art and I try to expose my son between soccer practices and all the sports/ school/ play dates but it’s hard.

It’s hard enough to make sure my son and I are well versed in the Western arts world, so I am not looking as broadly just yet
-OP

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think your focus on NYC is a bit off. It really depends more on your social circles and what you're exposed to. Just stay away from Southern California.

Oh, I am happy to be corrected! It just seems like most cultural events happen in NYC and some in DC. SF seems to get bits and pieces too.
-OP

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, have you read Cultural Literacy by E.D. Hirsch? Education is a big part of it, and you're right that public schools won't sufficiently cover this.

No I have not! I used to be a fan of his “What your X grader needs to know” series a while back though. I will check this book out! Thank you for this.
-OP