Needed: a Shadow Blog for Arts & Letters Daily

The British political opposition has a shadow-cabinet; why not a Shadow Blog for Arts & Letters Daily to help keep that estimable group on its cerebral toes? Like many people -- how many tens of thousands? -- I often start my day by browsing Arts & Letters Daily to see what the intelligentsia is up to. Sometimes I am impressed; but too often I read one of their links and my reaction is "Huh? Why point us to that piece of tripe?"

(I have always wondered whether I am the only one who reacted that very way; I am sure I am not, for if there is one magical thing about being part of a mass, middle-class culture, I have finally learned that if I feel some way then there are probably many thousands of others who feel the same way, as small a minority as we may be in absolute terms.)

Anyway, this particular link -- Who Needs an Agent? You Do! -- made me wonder once again why in the world the A&LD editors chose it, what was the uber-message -- why tell us about this slight article? why? what did it offer that I didn't get? -- especially as that very day I had read half-a-dozen others of certain gravitas.

What someone needs to do is establish a Shadow Arts & Letters Daily to read the 3 or so articles to which A&LD links each day...and to offer some trenchant criticism on the article and its worth, not the cute Time (magazine) gloss which A&LD has begun to offer as a substitute for real wit.

Moreover, the Shadow Blog could offer a Comments section so that readers -- who might well be as expert as the linked-authors -- could offer their own critique.

Comments

[ADAM]

great idea

I've always thought there should be a place to comment on the articles posted at ALD

[ladygoat]

Definitely a great idea. There is so much good stuff out there, but the one they pick is so trivial at times. And all blogs should have comments.

I kind of like http://www.politicaltheory.info better.

[Daniel Green]

Actually, that particular article was published in the Chronicle of Higher Education, which now owns A&L Daily.

It's my impression that the articles chosen reflect the tastes of the editor, Denis Dutton: they're skewed toward philosophy and philosophy-inflected issues, toward Dutton's own interests in Darwinian analysis, and, frankly toward his own center-right political views.

[David Sucher]

Well I don't particularly dislike center-right views; I'm probably center-right.

But what I like is quality, no matter the perspective and too much of A&LD's stuff is just that, stuffing.

And thinks for pointing out that A&LD is owned now by the Chronicle...I wonder how much if at all that influenced the choice of that article. Even the very best need criticism if they are to maintain their top-notch status.

[Michael Blowhard]

I think it's a great idea. And I suspect Dutton would be thrilled if there were a shadow ALD out there. Seems to me that, whatever his politics, what he's really devoted to is high-quality, open and even rowdy discussion and enjoyment of arts-and-ideas topics. If a shadow ALD contributed to that, well, the more the merrier.

[dog1]

Although it is no doubt inefficient, I usually just go with my gut when reading the short description.