Sociology of Arts

While surfing the channels, I chanced to watch some scenes from a circus show going on in Chennai. The TV channel was attempting to create some awareness about the life of circus artists. The acts that I watched were all improvisations for modern times though the traditional skills of acrobatics and juggling were the underlying themes. The enormous length of time that it must have taken for these artists to have mastered the act the constant practice required to be in shape and the extreme concentration required each time they perform are all probably a lot more than or comparable to what a star musician requires. However, consider the material life and the social status of a star musician in comparison to the circus artist’s life and status. Wouldn’t you be struck by the contrast? Why should it be that way? In fact, even a star cricketer’s life can not be as rigorous as that of the circus artist. Again, what a contrast! 

I recall vaguely in a novel by Nigel Balchin –a British author whose novels I enjoyed – a passage – probably a conversation between two characters –  which surmises that “classical” arts are considered superior to “folk” arts largely because of the artificial exclusivity created by the elite. The “cultivated” taste as opposed to what one would inherently enjoy is “superior”. The fact that “cultivating” some tastes require considerable resources which the poor can not afford ensures the “classical” arts would be exclusive  for the elite and not be polluted by the plebeians or “proles”  a la Brave New World  of Huxely.

Of course, the mass following for the exclusive film singers such as SPB or the one-foot-in- both-world singers such as Jesudas or Unnikrishnan and the material as well as social success of cricket stars are also indicators of another phenomenon – the hype of market and the power of the mass media. My disappointment is that our mass hysteria is unfortunately around the less action-filled and high-cost sports of cricket rather than around soccer or desi games such as kabadi.  I wonder whether there are Ph.D theses on the sociology of arts and sports. May be organized sports started as an “entertainment” for the ruling class rather than as an organic leisure time activity of the working class. I need to look up a lot of references if I have to say anything more.