Are There Any Valid Criticisms? (aka Kalessin's Rant)

[littlemanpoet]

The Saucepan ManTaken to its extreme, this would suggest that, ideally, we should all assess the merit of art in an identical manner.

Of course there are real variations in taste. I acknowledge that personal tastes vary from person to person. Such extreme identicality can only exist in theory, that is, in one's personal fancy; not in reality.

The Saucepan Man Different societies, and different sections within an individual society, may favour different (and possibly diametrically opposed) styles of a particular art form over an extended period.

Yes, true, but favour and acknowledgement as something as good art are two different things. There is, and has been for millenia, consistent and wide agreement as to what constitutes good art. If you consider the millenia of those in the past who have agreed that a work of art is in fact not good, then you are either better at judging such things than millions of people in the past, or you are guilty of chronological snobbery, to use a term from C.S. Lewis. That is, "if".

Dickens as good art and Dickens appealing to your tastes, are two separate issues. Surely you can acknowledge something as good art while not liking it particularly well. For example, I know that Mahler's music is good, but I don't particularly like it.