OUR COUNTRY AND OUR CULTURE
447
because as they do, they cease in any meaningful sense to be in–
tellectuals or artists. Of course, just as intellectuals may also practice
medicine or tend a piece of machinery, they may make a living on
part-time nonsense. But there is no reason to confuse all that with
serious intellectual work.
As
for whether or not a democratic society necessarily leads
to a leveling of culture, it depends upon your working conception
of democracy. My conception does
not
include status uniformity or
intellectual equality. One must in such matters balance between
snobbery and good sense, but my answer is generally No. And I
would of course impute the leveling and the frenzy effects of mass
culture in this country not to "democracy" but to capitalist com–
mercialism which manipulates people into standardized tastes and
then exploits these tastes and "personal touches" as marketable
brands.
(3) Your alternatives assume that artists and intellectuals
must, or at least should, find either in America or Europe "the basis
of strength, renewal, and recognition." I've always thought the
source was in themselves, as individuals and as small self-selected
circles; in their work, and-above all-in the best intellectual and
artistic traditions of the West. These traditions seem to me interna–
tional, the common property of mankind including historic Russia,
even
if
rich Americans happen to buy up their products. Because
this nation is now one of the two greatest powers on earth should I
go into a square dance or collect old American glass? Should I think
that Curry tops Picasso or that Frank Wright is not part of
w
international movement? The perspective from which your questions
are put seems to be based on a statesman's-like worry about the
discrepancy between the enormous military and economic power of
the United States and its relatively low cultural level and prestige. I
suppose that is a real problem for you; I hope you won't confuse the
two, or assign yourselves the task of bringing the latter up to the
former.
As for your question concerning
where
in American life, in–
tellectuals can find such a source (of "-strength" and "recognition")
my answer is I don't know. I have never had occasion to try so to
restrict myself in sources of thought and models of inspiration. In
view of the whole tenor of your questions, it's interesting that you
ask. Why do you strain so?
