High and low culture Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

High and low culture - Term Paper Example In order to understand the history and the relationship between the high and the low culture it would be necessary to refer to their basic characteristics. In accordance with Inglis, the term ‘low culture’ is used in order to describe ‘cultural products which exhibit qualities that are the opposite of great art’. However, at this point, the following problem appears: which would be the criteria on which the evaluation of a piece of art as of ‘high’ or ‘low’ culture would be based? It is explained that the views of people on art and quality can be differentiated. Works of art which are considered as of low quality for a particular individual may be regarded as exceptional by another person, i.e. subjectivity when referring to high or low culture cannot be avoided. At the same time, low culture has been related to the characteristics/ background of the creator, meaning that culture produced by people belonging in disadvantage minorities is likely to be considered as ‘low’ even if its quality is significant. On the other hand, it is made clear that the distance between high c ulture and everyday life is not so high as believed. It is noted that high culture can be used, at the same level as the low culture, for understanding the cultural trends of people within a particular society. On the other hand, Ferrarotti notes that the differentiation between the high and the low culture – also known as popular culture – reflects ‘the dichotomy between articulated culture and culture conceived of as a mode of life.