Mar 4, 2013
3 notes
The question that arises is whether poetry can be deemed a societal benefit in the way that healthcare or education or food or peace-keeping forces are, whether it is a substance that should be provided to a public by any means necessary. It’s certainly nice to think so, to think of literature as a service or a material good that worthy governments and government-funded bodies can endeavor to convey to its people. But it might be closer to the truth to say that poetry has no inherent value. Like all language, its value is contextual; it’s no more and no less than a specialized and elaborate method that people have developed over centuries to communicate to each other across time and space. In other words, it’s a delivery system. And once a delivery system needs its own delivery system – a promotional campaign, an airlift – to reach its users, it’s fair to say that it is no longer acting as one at all.
Yuka Igarashi, Emergency Supplies for The New Inquiry

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  1. gnostikali reblogged this from quartey
  2. markstricker said: “In other words, it’s a delivery system.” Your metaphor is bad & you should feel bad.
  3. quartey posted this
About

Curious about cities, patterns, design, and marginalia. I use the word 'narrative' a lot. Emmanuel is Ghanaian, and a long way from home. Nice to meet you. (@equartey, Pinterest, email, ask)

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