Erich Mistrk: Aesthetics and Civics.

Senica: HEVI 1996

Chapter 1 The Importance of Culture
The Importance of Culture
Many have already expressed the idea that here at the end ! the "#th cent$ry %e are
standin& at a crssrads in the develp'ent ! civili(atin) that ne epch is 'st pr*a*ly at an
end and that the dr is pen t a ne% ne *ased n a di!!erent attit$de ! 'an t the %rld and t
hi'sel!. +ne ! the cnse,$ences ! this trans!r'atin is a ree'phasi(ed interest in c$lt$re) arts
and aesthetic val$es. -he thereticians ! decnstr$ctin pint t the cllapse ! the traditional
pillars ! E$rpean c$lt$re: ./d is dead. Sel! has disappeared. Histry is at an end. -he *k is
clsed..
1
0. 1iet(sche nce said that /d is dead. /d as a !ir' *asis ! the val$es ladder *e&an t
die in 19th2cent$ry 'an) and *eca'e dead de!initely in the "#th cent$ry. Even %here /d .has nt
died.) He has lst His &eneral c$lt$ral 'eanin&) He is n ln&er the *asic val$es standard that
preserved c$lt$re as a cncise %hle and set the *$ndaries !r the per'itted and the i'pssi*le.
-he slid syste' ! h$'an val$es that had *een !$nctinin& !r cent$ries cllapsed. 3hat
vanished %as the depth ! h$'an invlve'ent in c$lt$re4 c$lt$re ceased t prvide $s %ith
&enerally accepted tr$ths and started intentinally ne&atin& the depth and a*$ndance ! experience.
-hese places are n% cc$pied *y e'pty a*stractins. Art) *ea$ty) !reed') tra&edy) de'cracy)
and individ$alis' are lsin& their deeply h$'an cntent4 nly their den'inatins re'ain t 'an
%h) instead ! experiencin& !reed' and *ea$ty deeply) nly talks a*$t the'. A scienti!ic) l&ical
r analytic apprach is tri$'phant) yet at the sa'e ''ent disinte&ratin&) as it is p%erless slvin&
even ne pr*le' ! h$'an inti'acy. -he $niversally develped 'arket cnverts everythin&) even
%hat re'ains 5*i& %rds like *ea$ty) h$'an *ein&6) int 'ney) s that these %rds cnvey nthin&)
they are 'erely p$rchased and sld. Instead ! scienti!ic i'perialis') 'arket2*ased ecn'ic
i'perialis' entered the scene in the "#th cent$ry. Scienti!ic) analytical thinkin& is cnditined *y
the even 're p%er!$l 'arket) ecn'ic thinkin&. Experience) i'pressin) i'a&inatin are
*ec'in& c'pletely separated !r' h$'an existence 2 the h$'an interir4 experience is
s'ethin& di!!erent than talkin& a*$t h$'an existence) a*$t h$'an experience 2 %hich is
s'ethin& di!!erent than the sa!e&$ardin& ! the h$'an li!e. Creative sel!2expressin is ! n
i'prtance and even its c'prehensi*le c''$nicatin lses all sense. +nly its intensity and
originality play a rle in its *ein& sld at a &d price.
7$e t the extre'e s$*8ectivity ! val$es) even the i'a&e ! histry is 'ade relative and
disinte&rated) %hich) in $r cent$ry) is cnstantly happenin&. 0inally) thr$&h $niversal l&centricis')
the all2r$lin& analysis ! histrical !acts is disinte&ratin&4 since the ti'e %hen 3. 7ilthey presented
his ideas) h$'an deeds in histry are interiri(ed) experienced *$t nt analy(ed r
assessed in a nat$ral2sciences %ay. It is n ln&er i'prtant t st$dy histrical !acts .*8ectively
Erich Mistrk: Aesthetics and Civics. Senica: HEVI 1996
and i'partially). *$t %hat is i'prtant is $nderstandin& the' and their interpretatin. 3e *e&in t
appreciate their s$*8ective validity *e!re the kn%led&e and analysis ! histry.
Self) hithert !ir'ly rted in the cntin$ally advancin& kn%led&e and develp'ent ! its
pssi*ilities) lses the !ir' &r$nd *eneath its !eet. Its psychic $nity sec$red *y /d and the
Christian syste' ! val$es %as !irst dist$r*ed *y 9'anticis') %hich pre!erred independence ! the
Sel! !r' anythin& standin& near4 accrdin& t 0re$d:s discveries) the Sel! lses the sel!2cn!idence
! cnscience created *y Enli&hten'ent. As a res$lt ! the disinte&ratin ! science and
l&centricis') the Sel! lses the $niversally valid and ackn%led&ed 'ethds and syste's !
vie%in& the %rld. 3hen ;. 3itt&enstein and M. Heide&&er *e&an t talk a*$t the i'pssi*ility !
relyin& n lan&$a&e) since lan&$a&e 'erely plays %ith $s) the Sel! als lst the a*ility t
c''$nicate its !eelin&s. 0ascis') %ith the c$lt ! the physi,$e and then scial diseases and AI7S)
idlatry ! tp sprts stars) and prn&raphy deprive the Sel! ! the $nity ! the physi,$e and psych<.
Psych) t %hich %e have hithert cn!erred the hi&hest val$e) recedes and *ec'es
verp%ered *y the spiritless physique.
-he disinte&ratin ! the plitical le!t) the decay ! scialist th$&ht and ne% %ars) s'e !
the' nt perpetrated as seri$s a!!airs *$t as &reat sh%s 5the /$l! 3ar in =$%ait) the invasin
*y the >1 !rces ! S'alia6) the ina*ility t direct sciety e!!ectively r at least p$rpse!$lly 2
these are %hat deprive the Sel! ! its scial *ack&r$nd4 the inte&rity ! sciety !alls int disrepair in
!rnt ! it) and !r this reasn it has n scial ideal t !ll%. 7r$&s ca$se the cllapse ! the sel! in
the Sel!) %hile cncentratin ca'ps) ethnic 'ass '$rders and plitical islatin in 'ental hspitals
p$sh the Sel! t the level ! a *east. It lses its inner cnsistency and cntin$ity4 d$e t its hi&h
pr!essinal speciali(atin) it als lses its inner c'plexity. -he last *l% has *een dealt *y
c'p$ters) %here the Sel! and its cnscience have *ec'e ttally $seless.
;an&$a&e als 'erely plays %ith $s in that) accrdin& t ?. 7errida) it prvides $s %ith a
li'itless di!!erentiatinin the c$lt$ral 'eanin&s ! %rds. In cnse,$ence t this &eneral crisis !
lan&$a&e and c$lt$ral 'eanin&s) it is i'pssi*le t rely n !indin& a &enerally valid and
communicable tr$th) as its slid *asis 2 the *8ective 'eanin& ! thin&s 2 is cr$shed) as is
absolute tr$th) and the a*sl$te 'eanin& ! si&ns and c$lt$ral sy'*ls. 3e cannt cherish a hpe
that a transcendental r at least $niversal cnscience a*le t *e relied n %ill e'er&e !r'
s'e%here.
-hese prcesses are clearly 'apped in the "#th cent$ry art. At the *e&innin&) nn2
!i&$rative art re!$ted any necessity ! e'plyin& real shapes !r expressin& the artist:s i'a&es.
Art is the 'edi$' ! 'ass in!r'atin) ne&atin& its %n hi&h c$lt$ral val$e and 'akin& it red$ndant.
;ater) in pp2art) it denies the creatin ! a %rk ! art as a specially !r'ed *8ect4 in cncept$al
art it denies de!initely any %rk ! art at all 2 an idea) a !eelin&) an i'a&e ! a %rk ! art is
s$!!icient. -hen pst2'dern art arrives) %hich ,$ite deli*erately des nt li'it itsel! *y any
aesthetic r 'ral *$ndaries4 it all%s itsel! anythin& in rder t present an ri&inal idea *ased)
h%ever) n ele'ents eclectically picked !r' any%here. Accrdin& t 3. 3elsch) radical plurality
as a *asic state ! sciety has *ec'e an ackn%led&ed reality.
"
-he disinte&ratin ! c$lt$re
and art that started in the 19th cent$ry is at its end n% at *e!re the clse ! the "#th.
Erich Mistrk: Aesthetics and Civics. Senica: HEVI 1996
0$rther're) there is n cntin$atin pssi*le in this directin. Art and c$lt$re as a %hle have
a*lished the'selves4 !$rther 've'ent is pssi*le nly n the *asis ! a reversal in c$lt$re.
Everythin& %e are re!errin& t 'arks nly the sy'pt's ! a crisis. -he clari!icatin ! their
*ack&r$nd can *e discvered in the %rk ! M. Heide&&er) !r %h' art is nly the revelatin ! the
tr$th ! *ein&. Art and c$lt$re are nt re!lectins ! the %rld) they are nt tls !r 'an t cnvey
his pinin ! reality) they are nt a 'eans !r renderin& in!r'atin. In art it is nt nly 'an %ith
his !eelin&s that expresses hi'sel!) *$t als existence itsel!) the h$'an *ein&) the h$'an %rld
express the'selves. ;an&$a&e) c$lt$re and art are the seat ! h$'an *ein&. A ,$estin th$s
appears: %hat) then) disinte&rates thr$&h the disinte&ratin ! art and c$lt$re@ -he ans%er is nt
di!!ic$lt: what disintegrates is the human being, the h$'an %rld.
1t nly have the val$es ladders cllapsed) *$t the i'perialis' ! science has cllapsed
as %ell and s t the Sel!.-he disinte&ratin and decay ! c$lt$re and art are sy'pt's ! the
crisis and disinte&ratin ! h$'an existence and h$'an relatin t the %rld.
H$'an existence and the relatin ! 'an t the %rld have nt disinte&rated a*sl$tely and
irreversi*ly. +nly ne !r' ! h$'an existence has 2 the ne %hich !$nd its !$ll expressin in
the Enli&hten'ent. Since the Enli&hten'ent) E$rpeans have pre!erred nly thse relatins t the
%rld %hich are *ased n a*sl$te tr$st in science) in the analytical a*ilities ! 'an. Accrdin&
t this ideal) the la%s ! the %rld are c'pletely $tside the reach ! 'an) they !$nctin aln&side
and independently ! hi' essentially as divine la%s. Man is end%ed %ith the a*ility t create nly
ratinal a*stractins) and even 're c'plicated technl&y *ased n the') in rder t e'ply
nat$ral la%s !r hi'sel!) *8ectively and %ith$t any persnal !eelin&s. Here e'er&es the a*sl$te
cn!idence in ratio) &r%in& int the c$lt ! reasn) science) %hich has *een !$nctinin& !r a&es.
Accrdin& t these ideals) 'an is !$lly entitled t intervene in the %rld and its *8ective
la%s in rder t reali(e his drea's. Man is either created in the likeness ! /d) r is the s$pre'e
creat$re p$t !rth in 7ar%in:s thery. In *th interpretatins) the rle ! 'an in the %rld is ne ! a
little God) an a*sl$te 'aster ! the Earth. -hat is an anthrpcentric ideal %ith traces ! the sel!2
centred and expansive. -hat is an ideal !r' %hich all %ars and ther negative consequences !
civili(atin ens$e) nt as appendices ! civili(atin *$t as its inevita*le cnse,$ence) *eca$se
expansin is innate t 'an) that little /d4 'rever) it is even 8$sti!ied. It is s *eca$se) since
the Enli&hten'ent) the E$rpean ideal has nt *een the 0r''ian .*ein& 'd. *$t .havin& 'd.)
the &reed !r 'anip$latin&. Man even atte'pts t 'anip$late sciety 5in this sense c''$nis'
represented c$l'inatin ! the Enli&hten'ent and its anthrpcentric thinkin& 2 .'an is called
n t 'ateriali(e an ideal.6.
-here is n place !r imagination, fantasy, art, myth, transcendence. Since the
Enli&hten'ent nthin& has hindered 'an !r' s$cc$'*in& 're and 're t the d'inance !
reasn)
A
his analytic a*ilities) l&ical thinkin&) !r' s$ppressin& his i'a&inatin) !eelin&s !
transcendence) his s$*cnsci$s instincts and desires. /rad$ally he ceased t $nderstand the
$se!$lness ! these extrardinary 'tins ! his s$l. 3hile develpin& technl&y) 'anip$latin&
the %rld) 'ateriali(in& the ideal pr8ect ! sciety) the E$rpean cnsiders experience) !antasy)
and desire t *e 'ere c'plicatins t his sit$atin4 he there!re s$ppressed the' 're and 're
Erich Mistrk: Aesthetics and Civics. Senica: HEVI 1996
!ten in his perceptin ! the %rld 2 as red$ndant. -he less he lked int his inner'st %rld) the
're he %anted t penetrate the nat$re ! the %rld t *e a*le t 'anip$late it 're easily. 3hat is
the res$lt ! this E$rpean thinkin&) then@ 1t nly is the envirn'ent destryed) as the
envirn'ental &r$ps %arn) *$t 'an hi'sel! is destryed. His spirit$al %rld disinte&rates) as he
has rec&ni(ed the vanity ! his e!!rts hithert ! *ec'in& 'aster ! the %rld. -he sharp
disill$sin ! E$rpean thinkin& dischar&es in the ne&atin ! 'an hi'sel!4 even the ,$estins .3hat
are %e@. .3hat are %e headin& !r@. lse their sense. In the sit$atin ! 'axi'$' val$e relativity)
%hen each ans%er i! tr$e *eca$se each state'ent is a state'ent ! persnal experience) the
ans%ers lse their sense) and) !r this reasn) the ,$estins c'e t nthin&. As %e are nt a*le t
divert $r ratinally ed$cated 'ind t the irratinal secrets ! the h$'an spirit) %e deprive
$rselves ! the *est and the 'st *ea$ti!$l existin& in $s) r %e d nt kn% the %ay t $r inner
%rld. 3e search !r it and als !ind the %ay $t 2 there!re cntin$al !illin& $rselves %ith the $ter
%rld) ne% experiences) ne% *its ! in!r'atin) ne% i'a&es. 7espite this) nly e'ptiness and
nthin&ness re'ain in $s. -he Spirit is nly taken a*ack 2 *$t empty. 3here d %e search !r
the sl$tin t the sit$atin) then@
+ne sl$tin is at hand and %e have started t e'ply it) th$&h $ncnsci$sly. As several
ti'es in this cent$ry) %e have std a'id a *' ! art and c$lt$re. -he E$rpean *e&ins t
reali(e a&ain that artistic pict$res can !acilitate the %ay t his inner'st sel! and t that ! ther
peple r *rin& hi' t tlerance and e'pathy) help disclse the h$'an 'eanin& ! the %rld) %hich
%as alienated from hi'. Art) si'ilar t its !$nctin in the past) th$&h tday %ith '$ch &reater
e'phasis) disclses the a*s$rdity ! a cl) ratinalistic apprach t the %rld %hile !!erin&
$s %nder!$l %rlds ! i'a&inatin) h$'an sensitivity) *$t it als 'irrrs $r al!ness) r$deness
and e'ptiness.
Art) ther aesthetic val$es and the %hle c'plex ! c$lt$ral val$es r c$lt$ral traditin
can tri$'ph *eca$se they !!er precisely %hat the E$rpean ! tday needs. H%ever) it is nt
nly *eca$se they intrd$ce the h$'an di'ensin int h$'an existence r *eca$se they shatter
the inh$'anity ! h$'an existence. 1t nly d aesthetic and ther c$lt$ral phen'ena break
down the deh$'ani(ed %rld ! technl&y and 'anip$lated nat$re) *$t they als sh% 'an the %ay
$t. 0r' the beauty of Evil) %hich Mar,$es de Sade and C'te de ;a$tr<'nt cha'pined t the
c'plete s'ashin& ! the artistic arti!act as %as &rad$ally achieved *y the artistic avant2&ardes
! the "#th cent$ry) the artistic phen'ena th$s prvided 'an %ith an exact dia&nsis ! his
reality. -hese prcesses sh%ed clearly the diseases ! h$'an existence. Art %as nt even distantly
a 'ere re!lectin ! these diseases4 i! it is the revelatin ! the tr$th ! h$'an existence) then it itsel!
'$st have s$!!ered !r' the' 2 and nly then c$ld they appear *e!re 'an in their !$ll
nakedness. MaleviB:s *lack s,$are pict$red %hat n ne in his ti'e anticipated: %hen tryin& t insert
the !i!th di'ensin 2 ecn'y 2 int art) =. MaleviB $nintentinally prved the a*s$rdity !
deh$'ani(ed p$rpse!$l thinkin&) %hich still r$led architect$re as !$nctinalis'. Even tday it
!l$rishes at di!!erent places as r$&h ecn'ics.
Art and aesthetic phen'ena d nt nly prd$ce a dia&nsis) *$t !r a&es they have
sh%n $s the %ays $t ! $r .inh$'an 2 h$'an. sit$atin) !r in art it is si&ni!icant t dra% n
Erich Mistrk: Aesthetics and Civics. Senica: HEVI 1996
multiple values) n tlerance t%ards ther experiences *ased n the inspiratin ! the h$'an
imagination and sensitivity) n 'akin& 'an think) replayin& vari$s sit$atins in his 'ind and
ret$rnin& t '$lti!ari$s experiences.
Art ,$ickly anticipated the %ay $t !r the "#th cent$ry 'an) %hen he %as nly *e&innin&
t sense he %as headin& t%ards deadlck. Spen&ler:s 7ecline ! the 3est) explicit re!lectins n
this precari$s sit$atin in the develp'ent ! civili(atin s !ar) appear at the clse ! 3rld 3ar I
and a!ter) *$t art re&istered the crisis ! civili(atin *e!re the %ar. -%ards its end the !irst
avant2&ardes 'ani!ested their ripeness 5dada) c$*is') !a$vis') ddecaphny) etc.6 and in the
pst2%ar years they sh%ed 'an *y all their %ei&ht that there %as n escape !r' the c$rrent
develp'ent. S$rrealis') h%ever) %ith its 'axi'al e'phasis n i'a&inatin and the inner'st
%rld ! 'an) &t near t the pssi*le %ays $t ! the sit$atin. -h$&h art relatively precisely
dia&nsed the disease ! 'dern 'an *y 3rld 3ar II) theretical thinkin& re!lects it !$lly nly in
the pst2%ar years4 cnte'praries reali(ed and a*sr*ed it int their %rld2vie%s nly s'eti'e in
the 19C#s. -his is %hen pst'dern art *e&ins t de'nstrate clearly the %ay $t *y e'phasi(in&
explicit e'tins) !antasy) the $nity ! 'an and %rld) the $nity ! h$'an individ$als and
h$'ankind) the $nity ! h$'an traditin) etc.
-hr$&h$t the "#th cent$ry) these prcesses ! reali(in& ne:s %n h$'an sit$atin and
'eans ! expressin& it in art r ther c$lt$ral prd$cts prceed in cntradictins) and they nly
'irrr the contradictory nat$re ! h$'an existence itsel!. +n ne side) there are cntin$ally &r%in&
e!!rts t apply aesthetics t h$'an li!e) t intrd$ce h$'an val$es int everyday li!e and livin&
space. +n the ther side, the trends against applyin& aesthetics) a&ainst any e!!rt t h$'ani(e li!e
and the %rld) are *ec'in& strn&er. -he e!!rt t 'ake li!e aesthetic is an unrestrained drive
ai'ed at savin& the h$'anity in h$'an existence) %hich 'eans that 'an 'akes aesthetic and
acc$lt$rates his livin& space and atte'pts t &ive it h$'an di'ensin. -he e!!rt t 'ake
aesthetic is als a deliberate strivin& t increase cns$'ptin ! thin&s as the prd$cers e,$ip
their prd$cts %ith hi&her and 're sphisticated aesthetic val$es. -he .antiaestheti(in&. trend is
then the res$lt ! the inh$'an pl$nderin& ! nat$re 5pl$ndered nat$re ac,$ires antih$'an) i.e.
nn2aesthetic and nn2c$lt$ral) di'ensins64 this antiaestheti(in& trend is als the res$lt ! the
inh$'an *ehavi$r ! 'an t%ards 'an) %hich excl$des any aesthetic ,$alities in interh$'an
relatins. -his trend is als the cnse,$ence ! a steep increase in the cns$'ptin ! thin&s %here
!r' the very *e&innin& there is n place le!t !r 'an t pay attentin t aesthetic val$es r art) s
that he &rad$ally lses his sense !r the' $ntil they disappear c'pletely !r' the hri(n ! his
needs.
-he e!!rts t 'ake h$'an li!e aesthetic and the &r%in& trend in h$'an li!e directed
a&ainst this 'eet in the .antiaesthetism. ! cnte'prary artistic creatin) %hich has *ec'e the
e'*di'ent ! the inner crisis ! h$'an existence) the e'*di'ent ! its cntradictins.
Cnte'prary art deli*erately prd$ces %rks that d nt identi!y %ith the classical ideal ! *ea$ty)
r are directly cntradictry t it) %rks that are deli*erately dishar'nic) asy''etrical) %ith$t
rhyth') %ith$t a re&$lar r sensi*le str$ct$re) %rks inc'plete and chatic. -hese %rks are nt
intended t picture the $&ly) as classical art nce did in rder t cnde'n it) they the'selves
Erich Mistrk: Aesthetics and Civics. Senica: HEVI 1996
desire t *e $&ly. >&ly here *ec'es an aesthetically psitive val$e) and 'an is cn!rnted
%ith an in%ardly cntradictry $nit 2 the $&ly) the antiaesthetic and the antiartistic are presented)
and als !$nctin) as art. Aesthetics and *ea$ty .shake hands. %ith the $&ly and antiaesthetic.
-he classical 'del ! *ea$ty) presented as s'ethin& that has its %n taste!$l and
har'ni$s i'a&e) as s'ethin& that sh$ld *e) at least partially) a har'ni$sly str$ct$red
*8ect) cllapsed. Dea$ty and aesthetics) %hich %ere presented as a paradi&') have
dec'psed 2 %ith the *est ! their kind) %ith the a*sl$te in their inner di'ensin r *alanced
inner 'eas$re. C$lt$re that %e $nderstd as s'ethin& n*le r in clse t$ch %ith h$'an
ideals has !allen !! the pedestal ! s'ethin& extrardinary int everyday v$l&ar and
'ntn$s reality. 1t nly des traditinal *ea$ty cease t rene% itsel! *$t it als lses its
sense) *eca$se it des nt express the !eelin& ! 'an in this era.
Priorities of Contemporary Slovak Culture
-day it is a %ell2 kn%n !act that the Slvak sciety stands at the 8$nctin ! transitin
!r' a clsed sciety %ith a relatively !ir'ly !ixed inner str$ct$re t an pen) !lexi*le ne4 thr$&h
de'cratic 'echanis's it is still 'di!yin& and searchin& !r an e!!ective inner str$ct$re. -he search
!r its %n c$lt$ral !ace) the search !r a pssi*le !$t$re shape ! Slvak c$lt$re)
E
cnstit$tes part !
these prcesses as %ell. .Sciety is a sel!2creatin.
F
2 this 'eans that the c$lt$re ! a sciety is an
entity this sciety creates !r itsel!.
-hese state'ents s$&&est '$ch a*$t the seri$s sit$atin in %hich the Slvak c$lt$re is
still seekin& !r its %n i'a&e) %hen there is n ne t help it %ith this task. -he pec$liarity ! the
Slvak c$lt$ral sit$atin and the search !r its Sel! rests $pn the !act that) despite a relatively ln&
span ! ti'e that has elapsed since 1ve'*er 19C9) the Slvak c$lt$re has nt yet !$nd its !ace)
6
that %e still live in a transitry perid !r' ne c$lt$ral epch
G
t anther. Slvak c$lt$re is
'vin& !r' a monolithic c$lt$re) in %hich all val$e hierarchies %ere !ir'ly preset and
$nchan&ea*le) t a multivalued ne, in %hich vari$s val$es hierarchies c'pete and nne ! the'
cc$pies a previ$sly 'arked psitin. -he reasn !r the &rad$al rise ! s$ch a str$ct$red c$lt$re
is the explicit in!l$ence ! the 'arket and de'cratic 'echanis's. -he 'arket relatins are
'ani!ested in cnte'prary Slvak c$lt$re in t% %ays. 0irst is the in!l$ence ! the 'arket ecn'y
in %hich c$lt$ral instit$tins and creatrs ! c$lt$re have t !i&ht !r their ecn'ic s$rvival. -his
'eans that their prd$cts have t sell *etter than thse ! thers. -heir creatin has t *e
cnstantly adapted t the de'ands ! the 'arket) %hich cnse,$ently 'akes the' 'di!y their
creative ideas and intentins t the taste ! the recipients. Secnd) %ith the $nc'pr'isin&
press$re ! the 'arket ecn'y) anther 'ani!estatin ! 'arket relatins in the Slvak c$lt$re
is seen) the .val$e 'arket.4 this 'eans that n*dy) n state a$thrity prescri*es and decrees
*e!rehand %hat is val$a*le and %hat is nt) %hat standards ! taste sh$ld *e valid $niversally.
-day n ne sets the li'its !r creatin.
Erich Mistrk: Aesthetics and Civics. Senica: HEVI 1996
As a res$lt ! ecn'ics and the .val$e. 'arket) the previ$s 'nlithic val$es
hierarchy
C
is *ein& trans!r'ed int a 'eetin& place ! diversi!ied val$es hierarchies. -he previ$s
monolithic values hierarchy %as *ased n the !ll%in& patterns: !irst ! all it %as the !i&ht !r
a *etter %rld as the *asic standard in!l$encin& all thers) $t ! %hich all scial rles ! c$lt$re
develped) t&ether %ith the necessity t represent in the c$lt$re the sci2ecn'ic pr&ress
! h$'ankind. Since c$lt$ral prd$cts c$ld !$l!ill their scial !$nctin nly %hen disse'inated en
'asse and %hen accessed *y the 'asses) the de'and !r their $nderstanda*ility and cns$'a*ility
%as an i'prtant !acet. -heir c'*inatin &ave rise t %hat %e tday call socialist kitsch) sharply
cntrastin& %ith the classical ideal ! *ea$ty *ased n 9enaissance and realis' and presented as
an ideal !r cnte'prary creatin. As %e speak a*$t a clsed syste' ! standards) ne ! their
si&ns %as intlerance t ther c$lt$res 5+riental) primitive) etc.6 %hich %ere val$ed ver*ally *$t in
!act excl$ded !r' $r c$lt$re. +nly C(ech and 9$ssian c$lt$res %ere tlerated) %ere) n the
cntrary) presented as an ideal r paradi&' !r the Slvak c$lt$re t achieve.
9
-his 'nlith %as cr$shed r *rken especially !r' inside. -his %as *eca$se it %as n
ln&er a*le t accept vitali(in& i'p$lses !r' its s$rr$ndin&s. A *l% dealt !r' $tside %as als
! help 2 the press$re ! Americanied culture
1#
5spread *y 'ass 'edia and pr!essinally
ela*rated c$lt$re6. -his press$re %as s strn& that the ssi!ied 'nlith ! socialist c$lt$re %as
nt a*le t resist. -he res$lt is the enc$nter ! a variety ! val$es hierarchies 5i.e. a variety !
syste's ! standard6 in cnte'prary Slvak c$lt$re. -hey are derived !r' the de'and !r a
plurality of e!pression as the *asic standard) %hich i''ediately *ec'es a sprin&*ard !r the
e!!rts t%ards a*sl$te ri&inality and als a s$rce ! hi&h tlerance t%ards ther syste's.
+ne ! its cnse,$ences see's t *e the lss ! criteria) %hich ena*les the c$lt$re t devte itsel!
t the beauty of evil) t present nnsense) even a*s$rdity) in classical patterns ! *ea$ty. 3ith
&reat c$lt$ral tlerance) *th exa&&erated cs'plitanis' and exa&&erated natinalis' 'ay
exist side2*y2side) and next t the' a variety ! s$*c$lt$res and alternative c$lt$res4 c$lt$re 'ay
*e 'axi'ally c''erciali(ed and at the sa'e ti'e &et 're and 're enclsed in its excl$sive
sphere ! high c$lt$re. A'ericani(ed c$lt$re and the kitsch ! 'ass c$lt$re 5prn&raphy and the
like6 ca$se a !$rther decay in the criteria !r eval$atin& c$lt$ral prd$cts.
-he transitin !r' the 'nlith t the pl$rality ! val$es is nt a si'ple ne and it is nt
a state ! crisis) either. It is a nr'al and healthy prcess ! searching !r a ne% !ace. H%ever) it is
necessary t e'phasi(e that it is nt a search !r the *est c$lt$re 2 a !inal state ! c$lt$re des nt
exist. -he pr*le' is t !ind s$ch a 'ani!estatin ! c$lt$ral prcess as 'ay *e ade,$ate t the
cnte'prary state ! sciety. -hat is) there!re) a prcess ! searchin& %hich never ends) as never
d the chan&es ! h$'an !eelin&s in the c'petitin ! scial and h$'an !rces.
Since %e are cncerned %ith the ed$catin ! citi(ens in cnte'prary Slvak sciety) %e at
least have t rec&ni(e pririties !r cnte'prary trans!r'atins ! c$lt$re s that it %ill *e clear
h% t rientate $r !$t$re citi(ens. 3hat pririties derive) then) !r' the a*ve 'entined !r the
develp'ent ! Slvak c$lt$re in the near !$t$re@
Erich Mistrk: Aesthetics and Civics. Senica: HEVI 1996
As criteria !r the search !r pririties) the !ll%in& are he nly pssi*le %hich 'ay *e set
!rth:
1. self"preservation ! the Slvak c$lt$re
". adequacy ! Slvak c$lt$re !r the cnte'prary and !$t$re needs ! natinal sel!2
expressin
Dased n these criteria %e 'ay sin&le $t these three pririties:
1. In the ti'e ! the c$lt$ral 'nlith the cexistence ! vari$s c$lt$res did nt ca$se a
pr*le'. -day) %hen Slvak c$lt$re is pen t ther nes) c''$nicatin and tlerance ! vari$s
val$es hierarchies and als vari$s c$lt$ral and scial &r$ps r stratas cnstit$tes a !$nda'ental
pr*le'. +$r !irst pririty) there!re) is the need t teach the individ$al c$lt$ral &r$ps t live
aln&side and t tlerate ne anther. -his 'eans the develp'ent ! a multicultural view and
feeling %ithin the Slvak c$lt$re.
Dy '$ltic$lt$ral vie% and !eelin&) %e $nderstand the a*ility t tolerate ther c$lt$res)
i.e. the a*ility t respect their existence. -his) h%ever) is very little t ask. Mere respect !r their
existence 'ay still res$lt in actins !r the 'di!icatin ! ther c$lt$res in rder t tri' the' t $r
ideal. It 'eans neither deeper $nderstandin& ! ther c$lt$res nr acceptance ! di!!erent val$es
hierarchies. C$lt$ral tlerance see's t *e nly the startin& pint) *eca$se nly !r' it 'ay a '$ch
deeper $nderstandin& ! ther c$lt$res arise) %hich 'eans the acceptance of otherness
11
!
anther c$lt$re. -hr$&h this acceptance ne sh$ld reali(e that his %n c$lt$re and its standards
cannt *e applied t assess) 8$d&e r cnde'n ther c$lt$res. It 'eans acceptin& that ther
c$lt$res have develped and exist in di!!erent histrical) scial and &e&raphic envirn'ents) and) !r
this reasn) they have t *e di!!erent ,$ite l&ically !r' ne:s %n) they have t rely n ther
val$es hierarchies and syste's ! standards as %ell. .M$ltic$lt$ralis' is *ased n the
idea ! '$ltiple perspectives 2 that 'eans the pssi*ility t vie% and $nderstand an event r an
era in 're than ne %ay..
1"
A '$ltic$lt$ral vie% and perceptin) as the !irst pririty !r the develp'ent ! Slvak c$lt$re)
cvers:
2 the a*ility t incl$de vari$s c$lt$res and c''$nities in $niversal %rld histry) t !ster
that %rld vie% that des nt all% E$rcentricis' and ther sel!2cncerned vie%s.
2 the a*ility t vie% the interc$rse ! c$lt$res and their '$t$al dyna'ics
2 the a*ility t lead a dial&$e %ith ther c$lt$res and the desire t enter int that dial&$e
2 the a*ility t vie% the incrpratin ! ne:s %n c$lt$re int thers and its relatins t
the' %hen ne als reali(es the li'its ! ne:s %n c$lt$re
". -he secnd pririty res$lted !r' the ver%hel'in& invasin ! A'ericani(ed c$lt$re
and !r' the !act ! the existence ! an independent Slvak 9ep$*lic still searchin& !r its place in
the %rld. HlakviB thinks that the nat$re ! the natin is re!lected in c$lt$re and) !r this reasn) it
is necessary t identi!y and si'$ltane$sly and p$rpse!$lly retain the c$lt$ral identity ! the
natin in rder t preserve the Slvak 9ep$*lic. -his als 'eans resistin& the A'ericani(atin
! the Slvak c$lt$re. 0r these reasns) the secnd pririty is the necessity ! cultural self"
Erich Mistrk: Aesthetics and Civics. Senica: HEVI 1996
identification of the nation 5i.e. the search !r natinal c$lt$ral identity6 and the need t search !r
the 'echanis's r standards %hich %ill stp the A'ericani(atin ! $r c$lt$re.
-he act$ali(atin and explicit de!initin ! natinal c$lt$ral identity is cnsidered the a*ility
t c'prehend the pec$liarities ! a natinal c$lt$re and its distinctin !r' the pec$liarities ! ther
c$lt$res. -his a*ility &$ides $s t a c'prehensin ! %hat type ! cultural synthesis a natin has
created. 0r Slvaks it 'eans $nderstandin& and reali(in& that their c$lt$re is a synthesis !
Dy(antine spirit$alis' and ;atin realis') that it a*sr*ed i'p$lses !r' the /er'an) 3allachian
and Cratian clni(atins) !r' the H$n&arian) C(ech and ?e%ish c$lt$res4 it 'eans reali(in& the
!ir' $nin ! the Slvak c$lt$re %ith Christianity c''$nicated *y the 'issin ! St.
Cnstantine and St. Methdi$s) the $nin %ith !lk and shepherd c$lt$re and %ith thers as %ell.
-he de!ence a&ainst A'ericani(atin re,$ires the preservatin ! c$lt$ral level !
Slvak citi(ens) the search !r 'echanis's and c$lt$ral prd$cts that 'ay stp the kitsch and
vilence. At the sa'e ti'e) a set ! needs !r ,$ality c$lt$ral prd$cts 'ay *e created in the
aesthetic !lav$r ! the Slvak sciety. S$ch a search is necessary i! the easy $nderstanda*ility
and si'plicity ! 'ass c''$nicated 'eanin&s are nt t s%all% $p the c$lt$ral needs ! $r
citi(ens.
A. -he last pririty res$lts !r' the hermeticism
1F
! cnte'prary Slvak c$lt$re. -his
intrverted c$lt$re cnstantly cllides %ith the pr*le's ! sec$rin& its !$t$re existence. It is a
cnse,$ence ! the develp'ent ! E$rpean c$lt$re since the 9enaissance 2 the s called
s$pre'e arts and applied arts r cra!ts have *ec'e 're and 're separated !r' each ther.
Aesthetic experiences have *ec'e 're and 're intrverted and have not become polluted *y
$tility and everyday $se.
Aln&side this c$lt$re a ne% art that cnstantly vilates this excl$siveness ! c$lt$re has
*een &r%in& !r thirty years. It is . val$e2*ased art that is a*le t transcend the 'dernist
ppsitin *et%een the aesthetic and the scial..
16
-h$s ecological art and ecologically oriented
c$lt$re c'e int *ein&.
1G
H$re !$nctinalis' and excl$siveness ! the sphere ! c$lt$ral val$es
c'e t&ether a&ain. Art and the c$lt$re as a %hle search !r their place in everyday li!e 5a typical
exa'ple is '$sic that) since the hippie 've'ent) has played an i'prtant rle in the
expressin ! the perceptin ! li!e *y y$n& peple and has *ec'e an i'prtant 'eans !
c''$nicatin as %ell6.
-he pre!erence !r this prced$re %ill *vi$sly *e ! &reat i'prtance in !$t$re Slvak
c$lt$re) *eca$se ecn'ic and scial realities %ill cn!lict %ith ri&id !$nctinalis' and techncratis'4
they the'selves) then) %ill dischar&e each c$lt$ral val$e t its %n excl$sive sphere) !r a c$lt$ral
val$e c'plicates techncratic thinkin&. >nder ecn'ic pverty and scial insec$rity) Slvak
citi(ens have t rient the'selves t%ards %hat is strictly $tilitarian and ena*les their s$rvival. -hey
have neither ti'e nr space nr cnditins !r %ei&hin& the c$lt$ral di'ensins ! the !i&ht !r
s$rvival.
-he third and last pririty in the develp'ent ! Slvak c$lt$re is to overcome hermeticism
! cnte'prary c$lt$re and t$rn it t%ards an ecological orientation.
Erich Mistrk: Aesthetics and Civics. Senica: HEVI 1996
-hese are the 'atters %e cnsider t *e pririties in cnte'prary Slvak c$lt$re. 3e
have lin&ered n the' ln&er *eca$se they in!l$ence principally the ai's %e set !rth !r $rselves
!r the c$lt$ral ed$catin ! citi(ens. 3hat ai's accr$e !r civic ed$catin !r' these pririties !r
the Slvak c$lt$re) then@
Aims of the Cultural Education of Citizens
Accrdin& t ?. S%i!t) the p$rpse ! any ,$ality ed$catin is .t e'p%er the citi(en t
'ake cnsci$s and artic$lated chices in the cnstr$ctin ! his r her val$es *y ,$estinin& and
eval$atin& rthdxies..
1C
-his c'pnent ! the a*ilities ! citi(ens 5the a*ility ! 'akin& chices6
lies als the ina*ility t 8$d&e) t eval$ate and cnstr$ct his r her %n c$lt$ral val$es ladder and
the a*ility t create relatins t existin& c$lt$ral rthdxies r val$es. -he shapin& ! this a*ility in
!$t$re citi(ens %e shall call cultural education) cnceived as ed$catin *y 'eans ! c$lt$ral val$es
and prd$cts.
19
3hat are the ai's ! c$lt$ral ed$catin in the Slvak 9ep$*lic@ -hey) ! c$rse) !ll%
the pririties ! Slvak c$lt$re) and at the sa'e ti'e) ! civic dispsitins and c''it'ents that
accrdin& t the a$thrs ! CIVI-AS: A 0ra'e%rk !r Civic Ed$catin)
"#
cnstit$te civic virtues.
+$t ! civic virt$es and c''it'ents ste' the attit$des and *ehavi$r ! citi(ens) %hich als
'eans val$es rientatin. -he dispositions ! citi(ens 'ean) accrdin& t the a*ve ,$ted
CIVI-AS) thse a*ilities and ha*its ! citi(ens that ena*le the e!!ective !$nctinin& ! a de'cratic
syste'. -he c''it'ents ! a citi(en lead t respect !r the *asic val$es and principles ! a
de'cratic state. A citi(en 'ay *e called a citi(en nly thr$&h a c'*inatin ! *th ! the'. S'e
principal civic virt$es and c''it'ents are: respect !r ther citi(ens) individ$al respnsi*ility)
tlerance and the a*ility ! c'pr'ise) pen2'indedness) and lyalty t the state.
"1
3hen
thinkin& ! the c$lt$ral ed$catin ! the Slvak citi(ens) %e have t think ! h% t trans!r' the
pririties ! the develp'ent ! Slvak c$lt$re s that !$t$re citi(ens %ill !ster its e!!ective
!$nctinin& thr$&h their dispsitins and c''it'ents) respect !r ther c$lt$res) their
penness t%ards ther c$lt$res and) at the sa'e ti'e) lyalty t the Slvak 9ep$*lic and
$nderstandin& 5especially ena*lin&6 its !$rther develp'ent.
-he cn!rntatin ! civic virt$es and the pririties ! c$lt$re hi&hli&ht these 'ain ai's !
c$lt$ral ed$catin:
2 ed$catin towards the realiation of cultural identity
2 ed$catin towards a multicultural view and perception
2 ed$catin towards an ecologically oriented culture.
1. Ed$catin t%ards the reali(atin ! c$lt$ral identity
-he ai' ! this !acet ! ed$catin is t &$ide !$t$re citi(ens t the rec&nitin ! the
natinal ele'ents ! c$lt$re) t%ards the a*ilities and attit$des %hich ena*le ne nt nly t
Erich Mistrk: Aesthetics and Civics. Senica: HEVI 1996
rec&ni(e *$t als t de'nstrate the' in the !r' ! natinal sel!2estee'. Desides this) citi(ens
sh$ld *e a*le t 'ani!est their sel!2estee' and t de'nstrate it t the %rld.
-hese are als a*ilities and attit$des cnnected nt nly %ith national) ethnic c$lt$ral
a%areness) *$t %ith natinal identity. +ne ! the tasks !r c$lt$ral ed$catin is als the sti'$latin !
cultural identity in narrower sense 2 that is re&inal identity) identi!icatin %ith a scial strata) the
c$lt$re ! ne:s cnte'praries and the c$lt$re ! ne:s re!erence &r$p.
""
I! a citi(en is t
participate in the li!e ! the sciety then %ithin the pl$rality ! c$lt$ral hierarchies it is necessary
!r hi' t *e a*le t reali(e and 'ani!est his narr%er c$lt$ral identity) %hich is the cntri*$tin !
his re!erence &r$p t the %rld ! val$es. -his als 'eans a variety ! s2called alternative2&r$p
c$lt$res) e.&. p$nk) st$dents and thers) %h have *ec'e 're respected in cnte'prary Slvak
c$lt$ral sit$atin than at any ti'e *e!re.
". M$ltic$lt$ral ed$catin
It is i'perative t cnnect the develp'ent ! &r$p c$lt$ral identity %ith ed$catin
t%ards a '$ltic$lt$ral vie% and perceptin4 ther%ise the ed$catin ! citi(ens) %hen deprived !
the') %ill lead t a variety ! c$lt$ral s$*2&r$ps %h d nt respect the therness ! thers
2 %hich) a!ter all) 'eans cn!licts. -he reality ! cnte'prary Slvak c$lt$re) %here a variety
! val$es hierarchies 'eet) calls !r this ed$catin.
.M$ltic$lt$ral ed$catin is a prcess destined t extend the scpe ! kn%led&e) t develp
'$t$al $nderstandin& and !r$it!$l relatins a'n& &r$ps ! vari$s c$lt$res. In an ideal sit$atin it
*rin&s peple t the $nderstandin& ! vari$s c$lt$res as s$rces !r their %n ed$catin and
respect !r variety in lcal) natinal and internatinal envirn'ents..
"A
M$ltic$lt$ral ed$catin
e'*races) then) the ed$catin incl$din& in!r'atin a*$t ther c$lt$res4 the c$ltivatin ! a*ilities
t interiri(e ther c$lt$res and the c$ltivatin ! attit$des respectin& ther c$lt$res. +nly this
c'*inatin %ill sec$re e!!ectiveness in '$ltic$lt$ral ed$catin.
In this prcess it is necessary t distin&$ish ed$catin t%ards cultural tolerance !r'
comple!) '$ltic$lt$ral ed$catin. +n previ$s pa&es %e have re!erred t the ed$catin t%ards
tlerance as ed$catin leadin& nly t the acceptance ! the idea ! therness. It is a 'ral ,$ality
that des nt necessarily identi!y %ith any ne pr!ile. -h$&h every h$'an *ein& is a c'plex
persnality and it is nt pssi*le t separate his c$lt$ral pr!ile !r' 'rality) nevertheless) it is
accepted that tlerance can evlve !r' 'ral attit$des. It 'ay als in!l$ence the c$lt$ral tlerance !
'an %in& t the inner cnnectins and c'plexity ! the h$'an psyche.
In '$ltic$lt$ral ed$catin %e d nt nly cnsider the develp'ent ! h$'an tlerance
*$t als the ed$catinal prcess ! children *e&innin& t $nderstand *asic characteristics !
vari$s c$lt$res and their interactins4 at the sa'e ti'e) they are expsed t heter&ene$s c$lt$ral
prd$cts in rder t interiri(e the' and t incrprate vari$s experiences as part ! their
persnality. Children are als taught the attitudes of tolerance and mutual respect. M$ltic$lt$ral
ed$catin th$s *ec'es a '$ch 're c'plex prcess than 'ere ed$catin t%ards &eneral
tlerance. 3hen speakin& a*$t children and tlerance) then) the ai' ! '$ltic$lt$ral ed$catin in
Erich Mistrk: Aesthetics and Civics. Senica: HEVI 1996
children 'ay *e s$ch develp'ent ! their tlerance t%ards ther c$lt$res that &rad$ally leads t
a c'plex '$ltic$lt$ral vie% and perceptin.
Dth a*ve 'entined ai's ! c$lt$ral ed$catin ! citi(ens ! the Slvak 9ep$*lic 2
ed$catin t%ards the reali(atin ! c$lt$ral identity and the '$ltic$lt$ral ed$catin 2 are i'prtant
!r cnte'prary c$lt$ral ed$catin !r three reasns. 0irst) nly their c'*inatin %ill &$ide citi(ens
t loyalty t the state %hile respecting other vie%s ! the %rld. Secnd) nly the c'*inatin !
these t% prcesses %ill &$ide citi(ens t%ards participation in the creation ! the c$lt$re ! their
state and their c''$nity %hile vie%in& and reali(in& its place in the world cntext. -hird) it is a
%ay t &$idin& the citi(ens ! the Slvak 9ep$*lic t%ards cperatin *et%een vari$s &r$ps
%ithin the state and n the internatinal level as %ell. It c$ld lead vari$s c$lt$re &r$ps t%ards
the a*ility t live aln&side ne anther and cperate. -hr$&h the c'*inatin ! these prcesses
it is pssi*le t prvke a critical apprach t the 'ass and kitsch expressin ! the A'erican
c$lt$re 5t A'ericani(ed c$lt$re6 %hich is prere,$isite t the inner stren&th and a*ility ! Slvak
citi(ens t resist the A'ericani(atin ! Slvak c$lt$re.
A..Ecl&ically riented. c$lt$re.
-he her'eticis' ! the c$lt$re hithert leads t da'a&e ! nat$re and the envirn'ent)
*eca$se 'an) thr$&h his e!clusiveness) ideali(es nat$re and places hi'sel! aside as s'ethin&
external. Ed$catin t%ards an ecological orientation leads t an $nderstandin& ! the %rld
as a sin&le syste' %hse c'pnents are neither s$perir nr in!erir t each ther. It leads t an
$nderstandin& ! the %rld as ne nat$ral and c$lt$ral r&anis' that pssesses a variety !
appearances and relatively independent c'pnents *$t !$nctins as ne syste'. It 'eans
a trans!r'atin in the rientatin ! 'an !r' an individ$alistic and there!re 'axi'ally
e&tistic cns$'er rientatin) !r' a ratinal and there!re 'axi'ally !$nctinalist and
techncratic rientatin) !r' a h'centric and there!re 'axi'ally sel!2centred rientatin t the
an rientatin ca$sin& hi' t ass$'e a meekness towards nature) helpin& hi' t $nderstand 'an
as a c'plex 5*th ratinal and sens$al6 *ein& !$nctinin& nly as ne ele'ent in the %rld syste'.
Ecologically oriented c$lt$ral ed$catin cnsists ! these parts:
2 the presentatin ! c$lt$re nt as an excl$sive sphere ! the hi&hest2level creatin) clsed2
!! !r' thers) *$t as an rdinary c'pnent ! everyday li!e.
2 the presentatin ! 'an as a c'plex *ein& 2 that is) t verc'e the ideas a*$t 'an as)
!irst ! all) a thinkin& and ratinal *ein& and that all irratinal r sens$al 'tives are ! lesser val$e4
!$t$re citi(ens sh$ld als $nderstand the states ! drea') sadness and 8y a'n& thers. 2 the
presentatin ! the transcendent) 'ysteri$s) 'ythic and 'a&ic as !$ll2val$e c'pnents ! his
psyche.
It is *vi$s n% %hy %e $se the ter' ecologically oriented c$lt$re and c$lt$ral ed$catin. I!
ecl&y as a *il&ical discipline ca'e in existence in rder t st$dy the relatins a'n& r&anis's
and their relatins t the envirn'ent) i! scial ecl&y st$dies the relatins ! h$'an c''$nities
t their &e&raphic) spatial and c$lt$ral envirn'ent) then *y ecologically oriented c$lt$re %e 'ean
that type ! ed$catin %hich leads the citi(en t an $nderstandin& ! relations %ithin ne c$lt$re
Erich Mistrk: Aesthetics and Civics. Senica: HEVI 1996
and relatins a'n& c$lt$res) t $nderstand 'an as a c$lt$ral *ein& %ith '$lti!aceted
psychical e,$ip'ent. Havin& in 'ind the last aspect ! ecologically oriented c$lt$ral ed$catin)
%e 'ay say that it t$ches deep ecl&y. It is a very i'prtant aspect 2 i! ed$catin is t &$ide
the citi(en t%ards c'prehendin& e,$ality ! all psychic prcesses and irratinal 5're exactly)
extra ratinal6 've'ents ! c$lt$re as %ell) then it has t t$ch s$ch spheres as) !r instance) the
'a&ical) transcendent) r inner2har'ny and cncentratin.
As the 'ain ai's ! c$lt$ral ed$catin ! citi(ens in the Slvak 9ep$*lic tday %e have
hi&hli&hted ed$catin !c$sed n realiing cultural identity, multicultural education and ecologically
oriented cultural education. -hey are the &als t%ards %hich) in $r pinin) the c$lt$ral
di'ensin ! civic ed$catin at ele'entary and secndary schls sh$ld *e directed) *eca$se
these ai's re!lect the pririties ! develp'ent ! cnte'prary Slvak c$lt$re and civic virt$es !
their !$t$re citi(ens.
The Topical Character of Aesthetics
3hen disc$ssin& the $niversal decay ! c$lt$re and the h$'an %rld %e %ere talkin&
!irst a*$t aesthetics) a discipline addressin& the n2&in& prcesses in arts and the aesthetic
shapin& ! the %rld and 'an 2 'eanin& excl$sively h$'an prcesses that h$'ani(e hi' 2 a
very i'prtant tpic n the a&enda. It is a discipline that sh%s several pssi*le %ays ! escape !r'
the crisis) as it t$rns its attentin t irratinal 'tins ! the h$'an 'ind) the comple!ity ! the
h$'an spirit) t human relatins and t nat$re. It is a discipline %hich e'*dies resistance a&ainst a
ri&idly ratinal vie% ! the %rld) a&ainst the inhuman treat'ent ! nat$re. It is als a discipline
%hich teaches 'an t *e sensitive t the extra2ratinal 've'ents ! his psyche) teaches hi' t
appreciate s'ethin& 're than the 'ere pl$nderin& ! nat$re. +n ne side) it teaches 'an that he
is nt alne in the %rld) and) n the ther side) it teaches hi' t *e respnsi*le !r the *ea$ty !
the %rld) *eca$se ! his p%er he alne is respnsi*le t the hi&hest de&ree.
Deca$se aesthetics can and %ants t speak a*$t cnte'prary chan&es ! c$lt$ral
and artistic val$es) it itsel! is *ein& chan&ed $nder the in!l$ence ! the ne% pattern ! c$lt$re.
-day aesthetics des nt prceed as an analytical, ob#ective discipline %hich penetrates deeper int
absolute truth) as d nat$ral sciences. As the s$*8ect 'atter ! its interest is a'*i&$$s) it cannt
de!end itsel! a&ainst cntradictry r diversi!ied assertins. Aesthetics tday is nt a science
pr&ressin& &rad$ally t the nat$ral2science ideal ! *8ectivity r t the 'athe'atic ideal ! !r'ally
crrect explanatins ! reality.
-day aesthetics des nt restrict itsel! t an exact deduction of consequences !r' a
pre'ise. -day aesthetics %ants t *e als a reflection ! n2&in& prcesses in aesthetic
str$ct$res ! reality %hich 'ay &$ide 'an in searchin& !r his place in the world. It %ants t *e
the aesthetics that neither standardi(es *ea$ty nr 8$d&es it) *$t %hich atte'pts t !ind depth in
aesthetic phen'ena) sheddin& li&ht n the' !r' vari$s an&les and vie%pints. Aesthetics !
tday 'ay 8$sti!y vari$s val$es syste's ! *ea$ty in rder t *rin& 'an t his %n conception !
*ea$ty. I! art reveals h$'an existence) aesthetics cannt la& *ehind the level ! cl) analytic
Erich Mistrk: Aesthetics and Civics. Senica: HEVI 1996
investi&atin int these prcesses. Aesthetics tday) as al%ays *e!re) 'ay search !r h$'an val$es
in artistic prcesses4 tday it des nt %ant t analy(e) t standardi(e) *$t can and %ants t
!r'$late a h$'an approach t art 5'eanin&s the relevatin ! the h$'an *ein&6) *eca$se it is nt
capa*le ! nly *8ective analysis) *$t als ! reflection and meditation ver val$es. 0r this reasn)
it has *ec'e the aesthetics that des nt re!$se the cntradictins in its 'editatins 2 neither is it
silent %hen it cannt discver any *8ective 'eanin& in the i''ediate prcesses. +n the cntrary) it
all%s itsel! t dri!t *y the' and it des nt hesitate t slip int a sub#ective perceptin ! the %rld. It
is the aesthetics that $nderstands the extrardinary di!!ic$lties ! verc'in& the perspectives ! its
ti'es and ! vie%in& pr*le's !r' a distance r !r' a *ird:s2eye vie%. -h$&h it strives !r the
*ird:s2eye vie% thr$&h the histrical perspective ! art r thr$&h its %n histry) it des nt resist
restrictions imposed by the period4 n the cntrary) it c$nts n the' and *$ilds $pn the'. -he
aesthetics ! tday %ants t re!lect the cnte'prary aesthetic phen'ena and arts !r'
cnte'prary standpints) nt !r' the standpints ! the a*sl$te s$*8ect) 'eanin& !r' s'e
pint existin& $t ! ti'e and space) as science has *een atte'ptin& t d !r a&es n the *asis !
the ideal ! exactness and *8ectivity. -he state'ents ! cnte'prary aesthetics d nt)
there!re) %rk nly %ith exactly de!ined cate&ries.Its style is !ten metaphoric and emotional.
Aesthetics tday is a re!lectin n art and *ea$ty rather than a ri&idly *8ective scienti!ic analysis.
9i&idly *8ective analyses) th$&h) are e'plyed tday and al%ays %ill *e nly !r the'selves *$t in
rder !r aesthetics t have s'ethin& t *ase its re!lectins n. -day:s aesthetics is a scienti!ic
discipline %hich can serve as a 'del !r c'plex kn%led&e e'plyin& *th ratinal and exact
ar&$'ents and irratinal i'a&inatin) sens$al perceptin and 'any ther a*ilities ! the
h$'an spirit. Since this character ! its %n re!lects s precisely the character ! cnte'prary
science) 3. 3elsch is pers$aded that nly thse thinkers %h are aesthetic thinkers are thinkers
! tday)
"E
! his st$dy in *ld characters. 3e d nt intend t lay special stress n this)
perhaps t strn&)is $r assertin that state'ent and advcate aesthetics as an ideal !
cnte'prary science4 nevertheless) this acc$nts !r its hi&h *ein& an $r&ent part n the
a&enda. -day) aesthetics is nt a 'ere $aturfilosophie ! arts) *$t it re'ains s'ethin& that
prvides $s %ith &eneral kn%led&e ! art. Aesthetics tday is als a narrative about the revelation of
human e!istence in art. It is '$ch clser t H'er:s Illiad) %hich is a petic adaptatin ! 'an:s
!reein& hi'sel! !r' the p%er ! &ds) than t 7ar%in:s +ri&in ! the Species) %hich delved 're
int nat$ral la%s in the evl$tin ! 'an.
3hat the E$rpean ! tday needs is nt the +ri&in ! the Species *$t the Illiad. 7espite this)
his *kcase is packed %ith evl$tins ! species) he has !r&tten t re!lect n his Self. -he
aesthetic narrative on the revelation of human e!istence in arts) %hen aesthetics is presented as in
the Illiad a!!rds hi' a '$ch &reater $nderstandin& i! his Sel!. 0r these reasns) aesthetics is a very
relevant tpic tday) de'andin& attentin t *e paid it in the cntext ! civic ed$catin) c$lt$ral
ed$catin and '$ltic$lt$ral ed$catin.
Erich Mistrk: Aesthetics and Civics. Senica: HEVI 1996
16 ?seph /ran&e) %7ecnstr$ctin and the Hhilsphy ! C$lt$re). Process Studies 50all
19CC6) 1E1
"6 3l!&an& 3elsch) $a&e postmodern' moderna.5Hraha IV+1) 199E6) 1A
A6 It is paradxical that 'an is nt cnd$cted *y his reasoning 5die Vern$n!t6) *$t nly *y
his understanding 5die Verstand6.
E6 3e identi!y $rselves %ith Crneli$s Castriadis: de!initin ! c$lt$re: .3hat I 'ean *y
this %rd is s'ethin& *et%een the 'eanin& %hich 'st A'erican anthrpl&ists &ive t it) na'ely)
practically the ttality ! scial %rld) and the ha*it$al 0rench sense 5nt s di!!erent !r' the
/er'an (ultur6) 'eanin& the %rks ! spirit) %hat He&el %$ld call ob#ektiver Geist4 the %rks ! the
spirit) the kn%led&e ! these %rks and an anny'$s *$t livin& p$*lic a%are ! these %rks..
Erich Mistrk: Aesthetics and Civics. Senica: HEVI 1996
Crneli$s Castriadis) Philosophy, Politics, )utonomy. 51e% Jrk: +x!rd >niversity Hress) 19916)
""#
F6 .Histry is creatin: the creatin ! ttal !r's ! h$'an li!e. Scial2histrical !r's are nt
:deter'ined: *y nat$ral ! histrical :la%s:.. Castriadis) CE
66 ;et $s ad'it that this search %ill never end) *eca$se in n c$lt$re des an $lti'ate &al)
%hich sh$ld *e attaned) exist. -he sa'e is valid !r creatin %here the !inished prd$ct
i''ediately *ec'es a *asis !r !$rther creative prcesses.
G6 Dy a c$lt$ral epch %e 'ean a relatively clsed) sel!2de!ined and ti'e2li'ited syste'
! val$es.
C6 Marian VKrss says that val$es hierarchy can exist nly as a se,$ence ! cncrete
val$es reali(atins ! a &iven standard. C!. Marian VKrss) *vod do a!iol+gie. 5Dratislava: Epcha
19G#6) "GA Accrdin& t Vladi'r DrLk) val$es hierarchy is &iven *y the eval$atin 'eas$res 2
standards. C!. Vladi'r DrLk) ,odnoty a v-namy. 5Dratislava: Hravda 19CF6) "GA. -hat 'eans that
the hierarchy ! 'nlithic val$e is an expressin ! precisely de!ined 2 and s'eti'es even ssi!ied
2 standards.
96 -he C(ech and 9$ssian c$lt$ral i'perialis' %ere hidden $nder the 'ask !
.apprxi'atin. ! natinal c$lt$res.
1#6 3e $nderstand the A'ericani(ed c$lt$re t 'ean the 'ass and kitch variant !
A'erican c$lt$re cnnected %ith vilence) prn&raphy) and kitch spread *y the 'ass 'edia.
116 .It is the transparency ! %hiteness and 'aleness that 'akes it pssi*le !r %hite 'ale
researches t arr&ate t the'selves the excl$sive ri&ht t :n'inate: all ther &r$ps %hile
'n$'entali(in& their %n. -hse &r$ps that d nt !all int the cate&ry ! %hite r 'ale are
psitined irrevca*ly as other.. Heter Mc;aren) .Cllisins %ith therness: :travelin&: thery)
pst2clnial criticis') and the plitics ! etn&raphic practice 2 the 'issin ! the %$nded
ethn&rapher). .ualitative Studies in Education. F." 5199"6) GC
1"6 Alan Sin&er) .M$ltic$lt$ralis' and A!rcentricity: H% -hey In!l$ence -eachin&
>.S.Histry). Social Education FG 5+ct.199A6: "CE
1A6 Mte!an HlakviB) .1Krd a k$ltNra). /iloofia EE.F 5199#6) F6G
1E6 Accrdin& t Viktr -i'$ra) the c$lt$ral synthesis is als the ac,$isitin ! c$lt$ral
in!l$ences 5re&ardless ! %here and %hen they appeared6 that are synthesi(ed either int the
already existin& c$lt$re r int the ne %hich is in the prcess ! esta*lishin& itsel!. -he res$lt !
this synthesis is nt a 'ere cn&l'erate ! separate cnstit$ents *$t a ne% unit %ith its %n inner
la%s. C!. Viktr -i'$ra) Slovienske kontinu0. 5Dratislava: -atran) 19916) 169 and passi'
1F6 -he ter' her'etis' here expresses the sel!2cntain'ent ! cnte'prary c$lt$re) its
intrversin and i'anent develp'ent ! its %n cntents %ith$t takin& int acc$nt its pssi*le
e'ply'ent ! c$lt$ral prd$cts in h$'an li!e. -his %ay a sel!2cntained %rld ! exceptinal val$es
c'es int *ein& %hich d nt p$rpse!$lly tend t inter!ere %ith h$'an li!e. It 'ay *e de!ined as
the :aesthetic sacr$': that 'tivated a hi&h circ$latin ! art%rks. C!. Ste!an Mra%ski) .+
kritick' stave estetiky,% 1iter0rny t-2denn'k. 1F Sept. 19C9: A
166 S$(i /a*lik) 3he 4eenchantment of )rt. 5;ndn: -ha'es and H$dsn ;td.6) 199A) 9
Erich Mistrk: Aesthetics and Civics. Senica: HEVI 1996
1G6 Desides its nat$ral and ecn'ic aspect) ecl&y als has a c$lt$ral di'ensin. -he
envirn'ent is nt *ein& destryed *y the peple nly. It is irreversi*ly *ein& destryed *y c$lt$re)
that 'eans *y h$'an sciety) civili(atin and the technsphere.
C!. ?se! M'a8s) .=$lt$ra 2 ekl&ickK kate&rie). /iloofia EF.6 5199E6) A6F. >ntil recently
%e have *een pers$aded that the ecl&ical *ehavi$r ! peple is str&ly influenced *y their c$lt$ral
re!ine'ent. -day) the ecl&ical *ehavi$r ! peple see's t *e an e!pression ! a certain
li!estyle. Cnse,$ently %e *e&in t reali(e that c$lt$re has al%ays *een a c'pnent ! the
envirn'ent and nt a s$perstr$ct$re a*ve it. -he :ecl&ically riented: c$lt$re 'eans the c$lt$ral
creatin that reali(es its existence as a part ! this h$'an envirn'ent. It %ants t play an active part
in shapin& it) *eca$se it enc'passes *th nat$re and h$'an prd$cts) h$'an relatins) 'eanin&s
! *8ects) etc.
1C6 ?hn S%i!t) .Critical St$dies: a -r8an Hrse !r an Alternative C$lt$ral A&enda@.
5ournal of )rt 6 7esign Education 1".A 5199A6) "91
196 3e take int acc$nt ed$catin t%ards c$lt$re) %hich 'eans ed$catin t%ards its
$nderstandin& and a%areness. -he ed$catin t%ards c$lt$ral re!ine'ent) the interiri(atin ! the
hi&hest c$lt$ral val$es) is *ased n this type ! ed$catin. It 'ay als *e its res$lt) %hich %e are
nt &in& t analy(e here.
"#6 Charles 1. O$i&ley et al.) 89:93)S; ) /ramework for 8ivic Education. 5Cala*as) CA:
Center !r Civic Ed$catin) 19916) 11
"16 Charles 1. O$i&ley et al.) 11
""6 -he re!erential &r$p is a &r$p .%hse standards a persn $ses t help shape his
r her %n val$es) *elie!s and *ehavi$r.. Christpher Dates 7*) Sociology; )n 9ntroduction.
51e% Jrk: Hlt) 9inehart and 3instn) 19CF6) 1F6. .A c$lt$ral &r$p shares *ehaviral patterns)
sy'*ls) val$es) *elie!s) and ther h$'an2cnstr$cted characteristics that distin&$ish it !r' ther
&r$ps.. 1atinal C$ncil !r the Scial St$dies) 8urriculum Guidelines for <ulticultural Education.
53ashin&tn: 1atinal C$ncil !r the Scial St$dies) 19916) A
"A6 Dard ! Ed$catin) =nited States and $ew >ork State ,istory. ) <ulticultural
Perspective. 5City ! 1e% Jrk: Dard ! Ed$catin) 199#6) 1:VII
"E6 3l!&an& 3elsch) .I$r akt$alitPt Psthetischen 7enkens.) (unstforum 9nternational ?@@.
5April2May 19C96: 1AF