Art once elevated us toward the transcendent; now it merely ... - Philip Rieff

"Art once elevated us toward the transcendent; now it merely entertains"

Philip Rieff Art

Sociologist Critic American 1922–2006

More from Philip Rieff

"The pleasure of the text is not the pleasure of the person who consumes culture."

"Culture is the effort to hold back the aggressive and pathological forces of human nature."

"Every culture is a religion, whether or not its members know it."

"The highest achievements of consciousness are in withdrawal from the world."

"The stage is my true home."

"Art is the expression of the soul."

"Living well means living properly."

"Art and music are the treasures of civilization"