#ArtReflection3

[artfully-philosophical]

Art Reflection #3: Can taste be taught?

Is a question that sounds like “Can money buy class?” and the answers may vary depending on the perception of a person. In the discussion of Hume and Montesquieu’s critical take on taste and how it can be modulated through educational training has me thinking about the literary classics.

There are thousands of examples but for me it was Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte, recommended to me in order to teach me what kinds of books I should be reading. At age 11, I had a tough time understanding one paragraph because of the vocabulary used and my limited capacity to understand. Until finally, I was 16 when I finished reading it and ended up disliking the novel.

Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte, first published in 1847

Hume and Montesquieu expressly state that while taste is subjective, it can still be honed and sharpened through education. They urge us to go outside our natural inclinations, to search for better perspectives and not just stubbornly insist that what we like is good enough. 

Despite disliking Wuthering Heights, it still gave me an acquired taste for the classics, better vocabulary, and analyzation skills. While I could insist on reading fluff novels as it requires less thinking and are easy to read, it would be devastating to have never cried about how Atticus defended Tom against racial discrimination.

Now, to answer the abovementioned question: Yes, my acquired taste in the classics is testament to this. It taught me to look for greater depth and to distinguish good literature. BUT I also think there is a great difference between knowing what is good and actually being committed to appreciating goodness. Stated differently, I may claim that the classics are good for argument’s sake but there is no compelling reason for me to keep reading them. It is up to us to choose how our tastes become dignified. We have to remember to choose correctly.