Adventures in Style
The article discusses Greil Marcus's influential role in music criticism, highlighting his book "What Nails It," which emphasizes criticism's depth and challenges in today's academic and media environments.
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The article explores the evolving landscape of criticism as a potential career, using Greil Marcus's work as a focal point. Marcus, a prominent music critic and author, has navigated the realms of journalism and academia, producing influential writings that blend literary style with cultural critique. His latest book, "What Nails It," reflects on the nature of criticism, emphasizing its role as an event that transcends mere evaluation of art. Marcus's approach to criticism is characterized by a deep engagement with style and context, aiming to situate music within broader cultural narratives. The article contrasts Marcus's vision of criticism with contemporary academic trends, where public scholarship often prioritizes accessibility and translation of specialized knowledge for general audiences. This shift has led to a blending of academic and journalistic writing, with many Ph.D. candidates feeling compelled to produce public-facing work. However, the essence of criticism, as Marcus articulates, lies in its ability to provoke thought and challenge norms, rather than simply convey information. The piece ultimately questions whether the rich, nuanced form of criticism exemplified by Marcus can still thrive in today's academic and media environments.
- Greil Marcus exemplifies a successful blend of journalism and academia in music criticism.
- His book "What Nails It" emphasizes criticism as an event that engages with art beyond mere evaluation.
- Contemporary public scholarship often prioritizes accessibility over the depth of critical engagement.
- The blending of academic and journalistic writing is becoming more common among Ph.D. candidates.
- The article raises concerns about the future of nuanced criticism in the current academic landscape.
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2 commentsI used to say that some people don't know what they think until it comes out their mouths. Writing -- good writing -- is often an exercise in the writer thinking deeply about something in a meatier way than merely thinking about it without trying to articulate it.
Sometimes in some sense for the first time.
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