The Problems With Seeking Greater Conservative Representation in the Arts

THE NEW YORK TIMES
By Ross Douthat

My post on conservatives and the arts has prompted an interesting reply from Micah Mattix, of the “Prufrock” blog and newsletter: "It inescapably treats art or culture as a tool, or weapon, in the struggle for power." Not surprisingly, I have a “yes, but …” reply here. Yes, a project specifically intended to get more conservatives into the arts would tend to suffer from the instrumental vices Mattix identifies. But if such a project did get more conservatives into the culture industry it might still improve that industry’s productions, notwithstanding the problems with the motives behind the project. [link]