brad@looking.UUCP (Brad Templeton) (08/14/85)
I suspect that the use of "art" as a prejoritave stems from the fact that quite often material is passed off as art when it is quite simply *BAD*. Many forms of art require detailed study to be fully appreciated. Thus people are used to not appreciating some artforms immediately. One doesn't appreciate bad material immediately either. It has this in common with some art. So bad material sometimes gets passed off as arty, and this gives art a bad name. What Spider Robinson (an author whom I dislike, btw) may be trying to say is that truly superb art involves excellent communication skills as well. You may have something valid to say about emotions or the human condition, and you may be able to convey it to a few who think as you do, but an artist of great skill conveys it to all. Lots of people are clever. Great people spread their cleverness into the world. -- Brad Templeton, Looking Glass Software Ltd. - Waterloo, Ontario 519/884-7473