Is Cultural Snobbery Due for a Comeback?

The Rise of Lowbrow Culture

The realm of lowbrow entertainment currently reigns supreme, and those who dare question this reality are quickly branded as elitist and joyless. However, with the rise of algorithm-driven, uninspired content, perhaps it's time we, as consumers, demand more from our art.

In Lena Dunham's Netflix romantic comedy, Too Much, the main character Jess has a toxic ex named Zev. Through flashbacks, Zev's dismissive behavior toward her emotional needs is revealed, as is his demand that she part with her dog. Most notably, he openly mocks her cultural preferences, which include shows like Vanderpump Rules, The Real Housewives of North Carolina, and songs by Miley Cyrus. During one scene, Jess sings along to Cyrus's ballad, Angels Like You, with enthusiasm, only to be met with Zev's rebuke: It’s not real music, it’s manufactured bullshit – come on, you’re too smart to fall for that. Jess briefly tries to defend Cyrus before tearfully pleading, Don’t make me feel stupid for loving things! Zev's character is portrayed as a bad person, partly because of his cultural snobbery. He is presented as outdated, as we now live in a time where looking down on culture based on its sophistication is considered out of touch.

Labels like guilty pleasure, idiotbox, dumbed-down entertainment, disposable pop, and trash TV have largely disappeared from our vocabulary. Today, every type of culture is deemed valuable. Superhero films spark intense debate, Taylor Swift is studied in university courses, and reality television is viewed as social commentary. To insult a piece of media is seen as self-reflection rather than valid criticism.

A Case for Cultural Standards

But what if the rejection of cultural snobbery was a mistake? What if it actually served a purpose in upholding quality standards? Perhaps, as we face a future saturated with social media and AI-generated content, it's our only hope. Some might say that culture has been declining intellectually since the Victorian era. Since then, art has become more populist, democratic, and easily consumed through mediums like cinema, pop music, television, and the internet. This shift also brought suspicion and accusations of elitism toward certain mediums. Yet, within these modern forms, there were also hierarchies, sometimes along the lines of race, gender, and sexuality.

In a 2004 New York Times piece, Kelefa Sanneh described rockism as a preference for punk over disco, live shows over music videos, and the idolization of old legends while mocking current pop stars. By the mid-2000s, poptimism gained traction, suggesting authenticity was an act, and traditionally unserious forms of entertainment held value. Fueling this movement was the idea that cultural snobbery was associated with prejudice, such as the infamous Disco Demolition Night in 1979. People sought to free themselves from biases that stopped them from enjoying lowbrow culture.

In Too Much, it's no accident that Jess's favorite shows and music are stereotypically feminine. Evaluating art through prejudiced lenses is obviously not beneficial. However, poptimism eventually turned into uncritical celebration. Jess defends her love for Cyrus by comparing Zev's disapproval to stealing joy, implying that judging is akin to causing shame and destroying happiness. This idea extends to comic franchises and fantasy series. A popular 2016 webcomic illustrating this view became a meme.

Today, the common sentiment is to let people enjoy things, which has blurred the line between criticism and personal attacks. Superstars now respond to commentators, and negativity is seen as psychic violence. Enthusiasm has become the norm. Ironically, this mindset has been beneficial to acts such as Oasis. To criticize them is to risk public anger. But the emergence of AI-generated music amassing large audiences signals a shift. YouTube has also cautioned against inauthentic, mass-produced content. This type of content is often described as slop.

Brain Rot and the Future of Art

Should we simply let people enjoy this type of content, too? Probably not. The term brain rot, which describes the mental decline caused by consuming trivial content, was recognized by Oxford. This proves that excessive consumption of social media can feel biologically harmful. The traits of AI and social media slop are what cultural snobbery criticized: overt commercialism and soulless imitation. AI and social media prioritize profit and viewership above all else.

In his 2022 book, The Nineties, Chuck Klosterman explored the decade's aversion to selling out, which has now been eroded by social media. When NFTs gained popularity, the art world embraced them. However, critics described NFT creators as morally corrupt. Rosanna McLaughlin noted that NFTs blurred the lines between art and asset, emphasizing price over ideas. When the bubble burst, most NFTs became worthless. If we can use cultural snobbery to rationally critique AI and social media slop, then perhaps we should reinstate artistic standards in other areas.

Conventional pop culture is increasingly driven by imitation and viewership. Media companies are focused on exploiting proven preferences. After the era of prestige television, this has led to diminishing returns. Last year, The New York Times coined the term mid TV to describe the trend of safe, unchallenging shows. Pop music has also been reshaped to appease algorithms, and reboots and spin-offs have become ubiquitous. While AI is derivative, so is much of modern TV. Hollywood's obsession with branding is apparent, as satirized by the show The Studio. The show highlights the tension between cultural snobbery and commercial compromise.

While art is subjective, some broad standards can be restored. Adam Curtis's documentary, Shifty, features Martin Amis discussing the increasing stupidity caused by television, which he views as cultural consumerism. While Amis's perspective seems old-fashioned, his point remains valid. The idea that art can contribute to societal decline has disappeared. The sentiment of let people enjoy things implies that mindless entertainment is needed during difficult times. However, these times may be a result of our money-driven culture.

In a 1993 interview, David Foster Wallace defined low culture as art that aims for pure pleasure, while serious art challenges and requires effort. While focusing on a TV show might seem difficult, Wallace's idea remains true. The easier art is to consume, the less it offers. Cultural snobbery might not defeat tech giants, but it can act as a defense against uninspired art. Although I was tempted to downplay my own cultural snobbery, I now feel shame. We should stop demonizing those who advocate for standards, as they could be our saviors in a world of brain-rotting content.