Down with the old high culture?

The author, reflecting on reaching old age, posits that the world's aesthetic sensibilities may have become unhinged, leading to a feeling of being out of sync with the times. This questioning arises from a lifetime dedicated to researching and understanding aesthetics, now seemingly adrift in a changed landscape.

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But perhaps this world itself has somehow come off its hinges, at least its aesthetic views, to which he has devoted all his research and thinking throughout his life?

Historically, thinkers like Plato sought to banish poets from his ideal state, viewing their work as mere imitation of reality, lacking necessity or utility. While Plato's ideal of a state guided by philosophers based on the good, true, and beautiful did not prevail, the concept of mimesis, or imitation of nature, became a cornerstone of Western art theory, as articulated by Aristotle. This tradition held that art, by imitating nature, could reflect the goodness of the Creator.

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The ancient philosopher Plato (427-347 BC) wanted to banish poets from his ideal welfare state, as he accused them of creating a mere semblance of reality.

However, this view faced challenges early on and gained significant momentum in the mid-19th century, coinciding with the decline of idealistic philosophy. Georg W. F. Hegel, a prominent idealist, saw art as becoming superfluous as the world spirit reached self-awareness, with science, technology, and industry taking its place. The period after Goethe's death in 1832 marked a radical shift, with many creative intellectuals rejecting idealism, mimesis, and beauty-centric aesthetics.

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The doctrine of the imitation (mimesis) of nature has become an essential foundation of Western art theory since Aristotle.

Today, the article argues, boundless freedom of creative individuality has replaced any established norm, making art difficult to define rationally. The author notes that the rapid scientific and economic progress of the 19th century, while advancing society, also led to mass poverty. This context, the piece suggests, fueled moral criticism in works like Victor Hugo's "Les Misérables," pushing artistic autonomy to its limits.

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The world spirit finally comes to itself. Art also becomes dispensable.