Cultural Discernment Quotes

He knows all about art, but he doesn't know what he likes.

Americans are much easier to please than Canadians. The American taste is less critical. Canadians are more cultured, they are more aware of the arts than Americans.

The Americans, they always depend on a method what I call ... stupid, silly. All I ask is check yourself. Do not in fact repeat their lies.

Taste is only to be educated by contemplation, not of the tolerably good but of the truly excellent. I therefore show you only the best works; and when you are grounded in these, you will have a standard for the rest, which you will know how to value, without overrating them.

I am intelligent enough to be critical towards the West and take what I need and reject what is bad for me.

I think probably Australians have just a little more taste than most people.

It was only the vulgarly mediocre that repelled her.

Inevitably, there will be many aspects of culture that would benefit from a more reflective or contemplative approach to them.

I have the same confidence in the ability of our people to reject noxious literature as I have in their capacity to sort out the true from the false in theology, economics, or any other field.

Isn't it in the nature of intellectuals to be culture critics?