Not All Propaganda is Art 6: The Kitsch Debate
Benjamen Walker's Theory of Everything
Benjamen Walker & Radiotopia
4.4 • 1.5K Ratings
🗓️ 5 March 2024
⏱️ 63 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
In the summer of 1959, Nixon and Khrushchev argued over a washing machine in a backstage kitchen in Moscow, while American Cold War intellectuals gathered in the Poconos to defend Kitsch. Dwight Macdonald, whose theory of mass culture translated too easily into Anti-Americanism, was barred from participating because this was no ordinary mass culture conference; it was an Anti Anti-Americanism operation. Meanwhile, in London, Dwight Macdonald delivered a mass culture lecture of his own called "America, America,” based on the most famous article Encounter magazine never published.
Shownotes: Jefferson Pooley wrote about Edward Shils and The Remobilization of the Propaganda and Morale Network. Sophie Scott-Brown wrote about Raphael Samuel and the New Left.
Support ToE and get access to the incredible exclusive bonus companion series to Not All Propaganda is Art by subscribing at https://theoryofeverything.supercast.com/, or subscribe directly in Apple Podcasts by hitting “Subscribe” right on the show page.
Support ToE and get access to the incredible exclusive bonus companion series to Not All Propaganda is Art by subscribing athttps://theoryofeverything.supercast.com/, or subscribe directly in Apple Podcasts by hitting “Subscribe” right on the show page.
Transcript
Click on a timestamp to play from that location
| 0:00.0 | You are listening to Benjamin Walker's Theory of Everything. |
| 0:05.0 | At Radiotopia, we now have a select group of amazing supporters that help us make all our shows possible. If you would like to have your company or |
| 0:14.8 | product sponsor this podcast then get in touch drop a line to sponsor at radiotopia |
| 0:21.4 | fm thanks |
| 0:24.0 | William beres is in big trouble this is police he is accused of running a pan-European |
| 0:29.9 | art smuggling ring with ties to the Sicilian mafia and if convicted he faces up to 20 years |
| 0:35.7 | in prison. |
| 0:36.7 | He's called the professor by dealers and traffickers. |
| 0:40.1 | To stay out of jail, William Verres plans to find a hundred million dollar painting, Caravaggio's |
| 0:45.0 | nativity. |
| 0:46.0 | I once asked how many mobsters do you know in Sicily. |
| 0:49.0 | He said, well, officially none. |
| 0:57.0 | From brazen and PRX, listen to the professor wherever you get your podcasts. Out now. Previously on, not all propaganda is art. |
| 1:11.4 | In 1956, writer and critic Dwight McDonald set out to write the book on the dangers of |
| 1:17.2 | mass and middle brow culture. |
| 1:20.0 | We now are threatened with something even more insidious, and that what I call mid-cult or middle-brow-culture. |
| 1:26.0 | Mid-brough is allied to very familiar ultra-American themes. |
| 1:31.0 | They're all very American in quotation marks. |
| 1:34.0 | America's cold warriors had their own theory of mass culture and a powerful means to get it out into the world. |
| 1:42.0 | I call it the mighty word that's |
| 1:45.0 | by one of those old organs that rose through the floor |
| 1:48.0 | of silent movie theatres and you consider it and produce, |
... |
Please login to see the full transcript.
Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Benjamen Walker & Radiotopia, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.
Generated transcripts are the property of Benjamen Walker & Radiotopia and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.
Copyright © Tapesearch 2025.