The democratization of mediocrity

Contemporary culture, which has become synonymous with contemporary pop culture, suggests that the arts are democratic. Anybody can play. But they aren't. This is the great theme in Amadeus. Genius is not democratic. Genius is elitist. This is the great theme in a book written by a genius arrogant madman, Ezra Pound, called The ABC of Reading. Among Pound's principles for literary literacy: Never join a book club! (His exclamation point.) But what defines contemporary literary culture more than the book club? Which is why Pound, and others, would call the culture illiterate.