Comments on: Adorno, Moral Degradation, and The Rest of It http://peoplelistentoit.wordpress.com/2007/11/17/adorno-moral-degradation-and-the-rest-of-it/ Thoughts on Music and Other Worldly Delights Fri, 09 May 2008 03:18:26 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: Gabriel http://peoplelistentoit.wordpress.com/2007/11/17/adorno-moral-degradation-and-the-rest-of-it/#comment-126 Gabriel Mon, 17 Dec 2007 15:29:51 +0000 http://peoplelistentoit.wordpress.com/2007/11/17/adorno-moral-degradation-and-the-rest-of-it/#comment-126 Paul, Thanks for the comment. You're absolutely right, of course, that Adorno hated much classical music, in addition to popular stuff. He HATED Toscanini, and the popularization of the music, hated all the middle-brow composition of the last few hundred years. In fact, beyond Bach and Beethoven it's not altogether clear to me what he didn't hate. It's also clear that what he really hated was the potentially totalitarian quality of capitalism. But, again, not clear waht he wanted in its place--the music he loves seems to come out of autocratic semi-capitalist systems of early modern Europe. Did he want a return to monarchy? The point of all this is exactly what you're advocating, trying to save him from himself. Toward that end: I think he's right that we have, at all times, to be on guard for the coercive power of capitalism in our lives. And we must, must not simply embrace theories of resistance in the arts that were so common a decade ago. Beyond that, I'm still working it out. Paul,

Thanks for the comment. You’re absolutely right, of course, that Adorno hated much classical music, in addition to popular stuff. He HATED Toscanini, and the popularization of the music, hated all the middle-brow composition of the last few hundred years. In fact, beyond Bach and Beethoven it’s not altogether clear to me what he didn’t hate. It’s also clear that what he really hated was the potentially totalitarian quality of capitalism. But, again, not clear waht he wanted in its place–the music he loves seems to come out of autocratic semi-capitalist systems of early modern Europe. Did he want a return to monarchy? The point of all this is exactly what you’re advocating, trying to save him from himself.

Toward that end: I think he’s right that we have, at all times, to be on guard for the coercive power of capitalism in our lives. And we must, must not simply embrace theories of resistance in the arts that were so common a decade ago. Beyond that, I’m still working it out.

]]> By: Idetrorce http://peoplelistentoit.wordpress.com/2007/11/17/adorno-moral-degradation-and-the-rest-of-it/#comment-122 Idetrorce Sat, 15 Dec 2007 17:15:48 +0000 http://peoplelistentoit.wordpress.com/2007/11/17/adorno-moral-degradation-and-the-rest-of-it/#comment-122 very interesting, but I don't agree with you Idetrorce <em>Who don't you agree with? Me or the previous commenter? And what don't you agree with?</em> very interesting, but I don’t agree with you
Idetrorce

Who don’t you agree with? Me or the previous commenter? And what don’t you agree with?

]]> By: Paul http://peoplelistentoit.wordpress.com/2007/11/17/adorno-moral-degradation-and-the-rest-of-it/#comment-117 Paul Thu, 13 Dec 2007 00:40:57 +0000 http://peoplelistentoit.wordpress.com/2007/11/17/adorno-moral-degradation-and-the-rest-of-it/#comment-117 Love your blog man and can't wait to read the MONK book! But in defense of TWA against your fears about him, if I may, he thought that most classical music, and certainly all the popular stuff, was culturally bankrupt, morally corrosive, kitschified too --what Marcuse called "affirmative culture" in the most critical manner-- so even he wasn't as "conservative" and hidebound as that visiting scholar. But this may only be a reaction to a "fear," since we know that Adorno's dialectical machinery DID seem to wobble badly and turn shrill and hysterical vis-a-vis pop and jazz. In short, let's save Adorno from himself, just as he saved Bach from the Bach cult.... Love your blog man and can’t wait to read the MONK book! But in defense of TWA against your fears about him, if I may, he thought that most classical music, and certainly all the popular stuff, was culturally bankrupt, morally corrosive, kitschified too –what Marcuse called “affirmative culture” in the most critical manner– so even he wasn’t as “conservative” and hidebound as that visiting scholar. But this may only be a reaction to a “fear,” since we know that Adorno’s dialectical machinery DID seem to wobble badly and turn shrill and hysterical vis-a-vis pop and jazz. In short, let’s save Adorno from himself, just as he saved Bach from the Bach cult….

]]> By: kammin http://peoplelistentoit.wordpress.com/2007/11/17/adorno-moral-degradation-and-the-rest-of-it/#comment-102 kammin Sun, 02 Dec 2007 23:52:40 +0000 http://peoplelistentoit.wordpress.com/2007/11/17/adorno-moral-degradation-and-the-rest-of-it/#comment-102 eeeeeeeeeee!!!!!! I would of whipped out a can of whoop-ass! Kudos to you for holding it together. ughh.... I need to spit on something..... eeeeeeeeeee!!!!!! I would of whipped out a can of whoop-ass! Kudos to you for holding it together.

ughh…. I need to spit on something…..

]]> By: billtron http://peoplelistentoit.wordpress.com/2007/11/17/adorno-moral-degradation-and-the-rest-of-it/#comment-93 billtron Mon, 26 Nov 2007 20:28:36 +0000 http://peoplelistentoit.wordpress.com/2007/11/17/adorno-moral-degradation-and-the-rest-of-it/#comment-93 Who are these stuffy overseas scholars? Do they study trundle boards? Who are these stuffy overseas scholars? Do they study trundle boards?

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