Since the beginning of the century the term ‘culture’ has gradually moved to the foreground. After Mr. Bush’s ‘axis of evil’ the line between them and us has become more pronounced. By considering groups of human beings to be evil, they are set apart from those that are apparently not. The good belong to those that call themselves sophisticated and cultivated, the bad to the illiterate and barbarians. Both groups proclaim the others are the uncultivated evil, while they see themselves as being part of a high culture.

Culture is a remarkable concept. Let alone the valuation it is given by adding words as high and low. In order to keep my thoughts clear I looked up some definitions from (semi-)respective resources.

Culture according to Dutch dictionary (Van Dale, translated):

the whole of products of a society and / or arts and science

Encyclopaedia Britannica adds:

“…culture includes language, ideas, beliefs, customs, codes, institutions, tools, techniques, works of art, rituals, and ceremonies, among other elements.”

And Wikipedia refers to culture as:

“Culture can be defined as all the behaviours, ways of life, arts, beliefs and institutions of a population that are passed down from generation to generation. Culture has been called “the way of life for an entire society.” As such, it includes codes of manners, dress, language, religion, rituals, norms of behaviour such as law and morality, and systems of belief as well as the arts and gastronomy.”

Summing it up, culture encompasses all the things that a society has produced, both material and immaterial. It seems to be rooted in the behaviour that underlies individual (or group) actions. This behaviour is bound together by a standard of norms and moral values. Arts and science are expressions of underlying thoughts. Not only the depictions and theories, but also the methods that are being utilised.

Between groups of people there are different views on what the ‘optimal’ society should look like. This is where the additions high and low find their origins. We view a culture as either superior or at least to be at an equal level. We dislike regarding our culture as being inferior. And if we do consider it to be inferior, we try to change the status quo. Being part of a high culture gives individuals an identity. We are part of a group that perceives itself as being of a high standing. It makes our lives more valuable, or at least the view we have of it.

Within groups we observe a similar disagreement on high and low culture. If I were to argue that pop music has a higher value to (or in) a society than Descartes or Rembrandt had, few would take me seriously. Still, most companies allow radio’s to be playing music as it energises employees, while a painting by Van Gogh does not add a lot to the joy of the masses. What stops us from calling pop music high culture?

I guess that the answer has two important components: the work itself and the education of the elite. Van Gogh was a gifted painter who spent a lot time studying and practicing. His work exhibits a complexity that is unique in itself. It is a product of a fine brain and the craftsmanship of subtle hands. The (political, artistic) elite has preserved his works, educated younger generations about its value to society and encouraged them to continue preserving. This is how old things keep their value and even grow of (relative) importance over time.

In the end, things that are regarded to be expression of a high culture can be as low as we want. If we would take it to the bare bone, a painting is nothing more than canvas, paint and a person putting it there. We could consider the depiction of Mona Lisa to be offensive as she reveals some body parts that appeal to our natural urges. Both the method and the product could be seen as being of “low culture”. If we put on another pair of spectacles, we see the opposite and regard it as a piece of “high culture”.

In the end… all things are relative. There might be an absolute truth out there, but as long as we disagree on what it is, our truths remain relative. In a world crowded with (groups of) people there are always periods of friction as we struggle to survive. By branding our ideas / view of the world as being of high value, we find internal strength to ward of outsiders. We built truths that we can use to fight our enemies on. I am afraid that is all there is too high culture: an identity that needs to be preserved.