Circuitous Critique of Culture

Late one night I went to the top floor of the Union Building. The TV room was open and a well-known quiz show was on. Next door the joanna was under lock and key.

Now, this may seem a trivial incident in itself, but to me it seems to demonstrate in a glaringly blatent fashion the cultural favouritism than manifests itself unexpectedly in remote corners of our society. My own interpretation of cultural history is this: cultural objects were created by the first men, primarily as a source of trade. So I respect the right of culture to sell itself on an open market for whatever the market will bear. My objection is rather on political grounds.

Most television shows—especially those imported—show class predominance and discrimination against the sexes. It is especially notable that since 1976, as the content of American programs has decreased, discrimination has increased, and values are expostualted more and page 15 more freely. Such repression is especially advantageous to the present Government—(witness certain recent legislation etc.) and is encouraged on the grounds that closer ties with the USA will encourage these values.

The Student Union, more than most places has a vested interest in such cultural favouritism, given the future probable employment of most of of its students. Beethoven sonatas, like debate of legislation are shunted aside to inconspicuous times. As unemployment rises these become an embarrassing reminder to the National Party of a more affluent age.

But everyone has colour TV so that must be alright. The prime aim of Muldoon is to see that everyone swims with the current—that means his way. It's not his fault the water keeps going the wrong way. So we are placated with left-wing cliches about the delicate introspective nature of the piano, compared with the cultural favouritism of television programs.

My argument is Not that TV programs have never practices any form of cultural favouritism, but rather, if they have dictated social consequences in terms of restraints imposed by cultural barriers, then we must view the alternatives with concern; but if, on the other hand (and this I believe) cultural favouritism is practised only in regard to combatting measures against the establishment of political expansionism, we must view alternatives to the present values-orientated system as a measure of dissatisfaction with economic materialism. There is more than one way of political repression!

I stress that if such programs predominate because they are in good supply and cheap to run, and are popular I have no concern with them. However note that most of these programs end happily which is superlative artistically but very bad in political terms, seeing that unless continued awareness is maintained concerning the repression of cultural favouritism, left wing elements in society will gradually subvert the sacred rules of this art. Let us not forget that culture was created to satisfy man's deepest instincts.