Jenna Bacon, Campus Carrier arts and living editor

I don’t know if it’s just because I’m a communication major and I’ve spent a lot of my time in higher education delving into the different corners of the humanities, but I’ve encountered a lot of very strong, very cultured opinions when it comes to literature, film, music and art. These opinions are extremely well thought-out and could probably be defended in a well-structured critical analysis essay. I want to make it clear that I take no issue with film buffs, bibliophiles, art aficionados or music nerds. What I don’t love is the whole “superiority complex” of it all. We don’t need to turn enjoyment into a hierarchy of taste. 

I just wish we could let loose every once in a while. Take a risk and put an early 2000’s romcom in our Letterboxd top 4. Additionally, it’s not like there isn’t some sort of value to be found in things considered “low-culture.” According to an article published in Northeastern Global News, visiting professor of english at Northeastern University Catherine Fairfield taught a class titled “Speak Now: Gender & Storytelling in Taylor Swift’s Eras” in 2024. The class explored how women’s contributions to literature and culture influenced genre and storytelling throughout Taylor Swift’s 10 eras. 

That’s not to say that the works of cultural icons like Shakespeare, Stanley Kubrick, Johann Sebastian Bach and Salvador Dahli aren’t important or shouldn’t be taught or enjoyed. I actually think that would be extremely detrimental to society and the world as we know it if we didn’t have active discourse on these topics. If those works weren’t preserved and shared, we would lose the building blocks that influence how we think, create and make sense of the world around us. Additionally, learning about those things is a privilege that many people don’t have and should be acknowledged as such. 

On the flip side, it is perfectly fine to acknowledge that, sometimes, reading, listening to music, watching a film or observing art is done simply to spark joy, not to test one’s intellectual rigor. Some people may even do those things to relax after a long day, or simply to enjoy different forms of entertainment with their loved ones. There is value on both ends of the culture spectrum.

While it may seem like people have to choose between being super intellectual or super “fun,” that is not that case at all. People can indeed love both reading “Pride and Prejudice” as well as watching the 2005 film adaptation with Kiera Knightly starring as Elizabeth Bennet. There’s always a balance to be had, and I think we forget that sometimes. 

With that said, I think that going forward, everyone should avoid being uppity when conversing with someone who may not be as well-versed in an area as you. Instead, ask them questions about their interests, and hopefully, they will reciprocate so that you can both learn from each other.