Comments on: Book Review – The New Christians http://julieclawson.com/2008/02/23/book-review-the-new-christians/ incantations at the edge of uncertainty Sat, 11 Feb 2012 03:00:47 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Karl http://julieclawson.com/2008/02/23/book-review-the-new-christians/comment-page-1/#comment-2182 Karl Mon, 25 Feb 2008 19:40:24 +0000 http://julieclawson.com/2008/02/23/book-review-the-new-christians/#comment-2182 I go back and forth on the issue of pop culture. I don't like snobbery. But at the same time, much of pop culture strikes me the same way that you wrote about some months ago when you described cheap beer and how it struck you. I think you said something like "I mean, what's the point?" Compared to good beer, $3.99-a-sixpack beer-in-a-can seems tasteless, useful only as an alcohol delivery vehicle to generate a cheap buzz or anesthetize me from the realities of life. But if you give it a chance it can be addictive and even fun - less demanding than learning to appreciate a dry red wine or a thick Irish Stout. Is it just a matter of taste? Or is the person who buys a pack of Milwaukee's Best to consume every weekend somehow in a less desireable and healthy place than the person who savors a fine wine or Guiness Draught? Maybe it's just taste - that's where I come down on most days. How do you engage and redeem a soul-shaping force like popular culture, if as described by Myers in that article its content is controlled by elites who primarily want to make better consumers? Full disclosure: I actually do watch some TV and movies. And my greatest "low culture" guilty pleasure is watching (some) college sports - there's plenty unhealthy to be found in that system, as well. I go back and forth on the issue of pop culture. I don't like snobbery. But at the same time, much of pop culture strikes me the same way that you wrote about some months ago when you described cheap beer and how it struck you. I think you said something like "I mean, what's the point?" Compared to good beer, $3.99-a-sixpack beer-in-a-can seems tasteless, useful only as an alcohol delivery vehicle to generate a cheap buzz or anesthetize me from the realities of life. But if you give it a chance it can be addictive and even fun – less demanding than learning to appreciate a dry red wine or a thick Irish Stout.

Is it just a matter of taste? Or is the person who buys a pack of Milwaukee's Best to consume every weekend somehow in a less desireable and healthy place than the person who savors a fine wine or Guiness Draught? Maybe it's just taste – that's where I come down on most days.

How do you engage and redeem a soul-shaping force like popular culture, if as described by Myers in that article its content is controlled by elites who primarily want to make better consumers?

Full disclosure: I actually do watch some TV and movies. And my greatest "low culture" guilty pleasure is watching (some) college sports – there's plenty unhealthy to be found in that system, as well.

]]> By: Julie Clawson http://julieclawson.com/2008/02/23/book-review-the-new-christians/comment-page-1/#comment-2180 Julie Clawson Mon, 25 Feb 2008 19:02:17 +0000 http://julieclawson.com/2008/02/23/book-review-the-new-christians/#comment-2180 Karl - I think there are good ways to discuss pop culture that aren't snobbish. I'm just sick of the "I'm too good to watch American Idol or listen to music other people like" sort of attitudes I hear all the time. I fully realize that pop culture of commercial/consumeristic and I am not of the mind to reject that system but instead to engage and redeem it. Karl – I think there are good ways to discuss pop culture that aren't snobbish. I'm just sick of the "I'm too good to watch American Idol or listen to music other people like" sort of attitudes I hear all the time. I fully realize that pop culture of commercial/consumeristic and I am not of the mind to reject that system but instead to engage and redeem it.

]]> By: Karl http://julieclawson.com/2008/02/23/book-review-the-new-christians/comment-page-1/#comment-2179 Karl Mon, 25 Feb 2008 16:36:32 +0000 http://julieclawson.com/2008/02/23/book-review-the-new-christians/#comment-2179 I'd like to read this book. There seem to be quite a few "how I became part of the emerging church" books popping up - can't keep up with all of them but this one looks like an important one to read. The whole pop culture discussion is probably better dealt with in a separate post/thread. But is there a way to ask questions about the effects that the consumption of large amounts of pop culture has on us, that avoids snobbery - or is the mere asking of the questions snobbish? I'd be interested some time to hear your take on some of the issues raised here by Ken Myers: http://www.issuesetc.org/resource/archives/kmyers.htm "[P]opular culture is not neutral with regard to the sorts of sensibilities it encourages. Because of the centrality of commercial concerns, popular culture maintains a preferential option for the upbeat, the informal, the new and interesting, not because these are the sorts of virtues that make a better person (let alone a better Christian), but because these are the attributes that make for the best consumers." I'd like to read this book. There seem to be quite a few "how I became part of the emerging church" books popping up – can't keep up with all of them but this one looks like an important one to read.

The whole pop culture discussion is probably better dealt with in a separate post/thread. But is there a way to ask questions about the effects that the consumption of large amounts of pop culture has on us, that avoids snobbery – or is the mere asking of the questions snobbish? I'd be interested some time to hear your take on some of the issues raised here by Ken Myers:

http://www.issuesetc.org/resource/archives/kmyers.htm

"[P]opular culture is not neutral with regard to the sorts of sensibilities it encourages. Because of the centrality of commercial concerns, popular culture maintains a preferential option for the upbeat, the informal, the new and interesting, not because these are the sorts of virtues that make a better person (let alone a better Christian), but because these are the attributes that make for the best consumers."

]]> By: Pistol Pete http://julieclawson.com/2008/02/23/book-review-the-new-christians/comment-page-1/#comment-2171 Pistol Pete Sun, 24 Feb 2008 01:04:07 +0000 http://julieclawson.com/2008/02/23/book-review-the-new-christians/#comment-2171 Sounds like something well worth the read. Sounds like something well worth the read.

]]>