being a dropout from uni, most of what i learned in life came from the school of hard knocks, but what a classical arts and philosophy education was giving me was the critical ability to ask myself questions that went beyond 'facts', such as the ones Gauguin pondered in his triptych:

1- where do we come from?
2- what are we?
3-where are we going?

45 years later I'm still asking those questions but my life experience in the light of the education half-begun and still unfinished has been shedding some light on the answers.

http://forum.onlineopinion.com.au/thread.asp?article=11265#190020

SHRODE, interesting points, but "Bottom Line", what this poison does, is allow the "Ruling Left Wing Elites" to spread their Communist Propaganda a little wider. Fool more of our children into Oppressing themselves with "International Socialism".

"The Royal Road to Power, for the Super Rich".

So art is about left-wing communist propaganda is it? Are you channeling Goebbels?

The German nasties were also very big on controlling art, as indeed to one degree or another, are all political regimes, especially those that ruthlessly crush dissent.

Right-wing outfits such as The New Criterion (and even Quadrant) are also very big on the importance of Art, as are right-wing religionists who regularly feature essays on the importance of art in their various publications. Especially traditional Christian art which they (wrongly) presume can make a difference in the world of 2010. It cant because nostalgia is not enough.

If they have any heart left they would most probably appreciate the contents and what is communicated via this essay

http://www.aboutadidam.org/readings/art_is_love/index.html

look...i love art as much as the next bloke
but arts isnt a thing we need university..phd's for

that form of education is best done in tafe or collage
its hardly higher education...worthy of calling for higher qualification..or phd's for dummies

the level of phd's....as indicating wisdom
has fallen as low as vidio appriciation
or comicbook study...

lets keep university for real education...
for the real intelligenca..given tenure/funding/grants
to the really clever guys/gals

lest all degrees get devalued
and we end-up with degrees for toenail clipping's/collecting
or belly button lint..classification

[that could have science value]...
if science method was applied
[give me lifetime tenure and i will explain]

[but so too
the liked gum on stamps...
or cigarette butt..or dirty sock-dna]

Another question frequently asked by arts graduates:

"Do you want fries with that?"

While art lends perspective and depth to life, it is only for a very few a profession in itself.

I would ask why are the arts important for balance when the system itself is completely unbalanced. In a perfect world the arts are important in allowing the subject to explore reality. But in our utterly prescribed and demeaned reality the arts have only one function; helping the subject to see beyond the ideological veil. Professionalising the arts is the perfect foil against this practice; it breeds both social conformity and indifferent (commodified) art. Aesthetics is dead so long as the artist remains ideologically imprisoned.
Dear formersnag,
I'd love to know how you figure the "left-wing elites" rule? Don't you mean the closed-minded right-wing fascists rule?
They're the reason we need art!