# Like stupid and pompous idiots, who try to define and limit what art is.

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/like-stupid-and-pompous-idiots-who-try-to-define-and-limit-what-art-is/602008>\
**Category:** The BBQ Pit\
**Created:** [November 5, 2011, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/like-stupid-and-pompous-idiots-who-try-to-define-and-limit-what-art-is/602008 "2011-11-05T23:33:05Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 9\
**Page:** 31

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**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\
**Post date:** [November 16, 2011, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/like-stupid-and-pompous-idiots-who-try-to-define-and-limit-what-art-is/602008/601 "2011-11-16T16:11:26Z")

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> [@Shodan](#):
>
> Is scratching your ass when it itches “art”?
> 
> Regards,  
> Shodan

It would be if you were any good at it.

😉

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**Author:** ![fachverwirrt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/94ad74/32.png) [@fachverwirrt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fachverwirrt)\
**Post date:** [November 16, 2011, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/like-stupid-and-pompous-idiots-who-try-to-define-and-limit-what-art-is/602008/602 "2011-11-16T20:36:52Z")

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**Terr** , care to address post 588? To expand: better at what? How do you determine what is better? Who is judging what is better? What standard are you using to determine “better”?

To recap, we have determined that: art requires craftsmanship, crafstmanship requires expertness, and expertness requires one to be better than the majority of humans. I’m interested in the next step.

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**Author:** ![Terr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Terr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terr)\
**Post date:** [November 16, 2011, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/like-stupid-and-pompous-idiots-who-try-to-define-and-limit-what-art-is/602008/603 "2011-11-16T20:38:02Z")

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> [@fachverwirrt](#):
>
> **Terr** , care to address post 588? To expand: better at what? How do you determine what is better? Who is judging what is better? What standard are you using to determine “better”?

Sure. But first, define “expand”, “what”, “is”, “who”, “standard”, and “judging”.

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**Author:** ![fachverwirrt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/94ad74/32.png) [@fachverwirrt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fachverwirrt)\
**Post date:** [November 16, 2011, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/like-stupid-and-pompous-idiots-who-try-to-define-and-limit-what-art-is/602008/604 "2011-11-16T20:56:34Z")

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Nice try, but you’re the one trying to establish that “craftsmanship” is somehow objective, despite not being able to demonstrate in what way it’s objective.

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**Author:** ![Terr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Terr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terr)\
**Post date:** [November 16, 2011, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/like-stupid-and-pompous-idiots-who-try-to-define-and-limit-what-art-is/602008/605 "2011-11-16T21:09:43Z")

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> [@fachverwirrt](#):
>
> Nice try, but you’re the one trying to establish that “craftsmanship” is somehow objective, despite not being able to demonstrate in what way it’s objective.

Hey I am just trying to figure out what your questions mean.

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**Author:** ![Kozmik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8dc957/32.png) [@Kozmik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kozmik)\
**Post date:** [November 17, 2011, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/like-stupid-and-pompous-idiots-who-try-to-define-and-limit-what-art-is/602008/606 "2011-11-17T01:19:32Z")

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> [@Terr](#):
>
> But first, define “expand”, “what”, “is”, “who”, “standard”, and “judging”.

Define “define”.

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**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\
**Post date:** [November 17, 2011, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/like-stupid-and-pompous-idiots-who-try-to-define-and-limit-what-art-is/602008/607 "2011-11-17T01:46:13Z")

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I think Terr is deliberately trying to be a dickface.

Which I define as someone who behaves like Terr.

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**Author:** ![Kozmik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8dc957/32.png) [@Kozmik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kozmik)\
**Post date:** [November 17, 2011, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/like-stupid-and-pompous-idiots-who-try-to-define-and-limit-what-art-is/602008/608 "2011-11-17T02:41:08Z")

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> [@Knorf](#):
>
> I think Terr is deliberately trying to be a dickface.
> 
> Which I define as someone who behaves like Terr.

Therefore, Terr is deliberately trying to be Terr.

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**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\
**Post date:** [November 17, 2011, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/like-stupid-and-pompous-idiots-who-try-to-define-and-limit-what-art-is/602008/609 "2011-11-17T03:36:29Z")

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> [@Kozmik](#):
>
> Therefore, Terr is deliberately trying to be Terr.

Which really is so very affected. Pretentious, even.

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