Elite culture

define the concept

Zouguang Wen scholars believe that the elite culture of the humanities intelligentsia Intellectuals creation, dissemination and sharing of cultures.

Western social critic Lewis, believes that by the elite culture to a higher level of education or cultural quality of the few intellectuals or man-made cultural audiences, intended to convey their aesthetic taste, value judgments and social responsibility culture.

according to their interpretation, when the cultural elite intellectuals and elites to create and disseminate culture. Since modern times, there have been New Culture Movement of the cultural elite of the elite-driven culture, there have been followed by a political elite dominated by the elite culture, it began to take shape when the economic elite of the elite-dominated culture.

understand the difference between

elite culture and mass culture thinking

sociologist Li Deshun for cultural understanding, many people have a perception that " elite culture "is the" elegant "and" popular culture "is" vulgar "in. This is a misunderstanding. In fact, culture has always had "high culture" and "popular culture", "cultural elite" and "popular culture" points. So, what is the basis of this division is, what does it mean?

two different understanding

of culture "elegant" and "vulgar" the culture "elegant" and "vulgar" There are two different understand. An understanding of the value of the evaluation is to take their meaning, is "based on the merits of the level of quality culture" to specify what part of "elegant" culture, what are "vulgar" culture. He said a cultural phenomenon is the "elegant" or "vulgar", and it is different from "Who's culture", but is applicable to judge cultural products and cultural behavior of all people. It presupposes recognition: Culture Culture, is to take the "text" is on the "Ya" is on, no "text" not "elegant" is the lack of culture, that is, ignorance, backwardness and barbarism. For example: we have beautiful artistic achievements, profound academic work, high quality cultural actions and thoughts, lofty social ideals and so called "elegant" and "excellent", while the contrary judged as "vulgar" and "vulgar." Here the "Ya" and "vulgar" means the judge a cultural phenomenon grade level, sense of depth, in the form of the text field, making fine roughness, to improve and spread, etc. In a word: "good" or "poor", meaning appraise evaluation. This also answers the questions the significance of the division, which means: the construction of social and cultural to the pursuit of truth, goodness and beauty of its mission, it must be unequivocally support high culture, against the vulgar culture.

This understanding should be said that the original meaning of the concept of "refined and popular tastes." However, in everyday language and application environment, but still give people "refined and popular tastes," added another the following meanings. That is to take their subjective meaning, is "based on what people possess and enjoy" to specify what part of "refined culture" and what are "popular culture." Thus, the "refined culture" can and "elite culture", "cultural aristocrats", "gentleman" and linked refers to the upper social groups as the main body, to meet the needs of people with high status culture; and "vulgar culture "and naturally" "," civilian culture "and even" Pop culture "linked to popular culture, refers to the lower social groups as the main body, to meet the cultural needs of the general public. Logically, this understanding and reflect the cultural divide but have different body types and levels, if not into the identity of the level of discrimination and class prejudice, it should be said which are not included (at least in our view, should not be included) Judgments meaning, does not mean "level, the pros and cons, are equal" points.

Do not think " Popular Culture " can only be a rough shabby, and the "cultural elite" is bound to be elegant and refined

means that the above two should not be confused. For the link between the "vulgar, Ya" and "public elite", there must be concrete, realistic analysis and judgment, can not easily draw parallels between them in. Do not think that "popular culture" can only be a rough shabby, and the "cultural elite" is bound to be elegant and refined. In fact, the culture of "refined and popular tastes level" is to appear and be judged specifically in every creation, not someone fixed patents. Do not forget, our famous through the ages "Book of Songs" in the works, was originally a folk FOLK, but they can become the master of elegance future generations; and many then be regarded as the extreme elegance of the imperial palace, champion articles, etc., but now the reality is far away from the era of words and few people love. In addition, such as "Water Margin", "Journey to the West" and other novels, opera and other theatrical, Chinese traditional crafts, folk are from the original "mass culture", "vulgar" cultural products, have become the traditional culture treasure, became Ya culture. It should be said, whether public or elite culture, has its own "vulgar" and "elegant", has its own from low to high, from simple to complex processes, improve development problems from coarse to fine. History has proved that "popular culture" can also have their own boutique, with its own noble and beautiful; and "elite culture" can be sure no vulgar make, have their cheesy, boring and empty. Only with the creation of wisdom and careful work, not by virtue of some kind of identity in order to produce quality. To say, it is true for any cultural form of any person.

But in real life people often do not pay attention to distinguish between "Ya" and "vulgar" in two meanings, thus causing some serious misconceptions, even prejudices. For example, in some subconscious, blindly, as the ancient Ya, this view is vulgar; to few Ya to the public for the vulgar; beyond is elegant, nearly as vulgar; to static Ya to move as vulgar; Zhuang Ya, as to harmonic popular; Ya in phantom, in fact, vulgar, and the like. There is a one-sided, superficial, simplistic tendency in these minds, in fact, is a minority taste prevail, to appreciate their cultural style as the only criterion, virtually already contains the previously divorced from reality, contempt component masses, thus ignoring the cultural rights of the public secular life.

From our modern point of view, it should abandon the old prejudices. Because after all, "mass culture" is the most solid foundation of national culture, it is the most authentic "cultural texts", is the root of the great power of the national culture. Not the general public secular life, human culture will lose a source of vitality.

phenomenon of " Cultural secularization " shall have to think

calm "refined and popular tastes "itself is a cultural phenomenon and a description of the quality of judgment, it is the quality of cultural products and cultural behavior of the center, not the definition of the cultural body (elite or mass), and the two should not be equated or confused easily. At the same time, the issue of how to treat the "Ya, vulgar" and "elite public" between inter-related, directly or indirectly, to reflect differences in the way people in the cultural values ​​of the fundamental position and thinking. And on issues concerning the fundamental cultural standpoint, we must unequivocally uphold the Marxist theory of the main purpose of the people.

For our particular case, along with the entire community transition to a market economy, in the cultural field, there have been "center of gravity" of the trend, and cultural needs of the general public is becoming the dominant force in the market, the "elite culture" has been left out to some extent in the market. Some people call it "secular culture" or "popular culture flooding." This should be calm and think clearly. "Cultural center of gravity" should be said is a kind of historical rationality of progress, is our culture "serve the people" in need. Every man can not take his opposition to the same public, should not be regarded as "crisis" and "Lost", but should be regarded as a kind of "homing" and "implementation." Because over the years, the masses of our country are willing and accessible forms of culture and activities are not rich, it is not sufficient, in fact, too simple, too poor a. As for the "refined culture" and "Lost", you should find a cause from the other side.