Accountable Quote by Michael Sokolove
““Everything now has to be fully accountable,” Peter Plagens, a New York painter and art critic, told the online magazine Salon in a 2012 story on the declining status of the artistic classes in America. “An English department has to show it brings in enough money, that it holds its own with the business side. Public schools are held accountable in various bean-counting ways. The senator can point to the ‘pointy-headed professor’ teaching poetry and ask, ‘Is this doing any good? Can we measure this?’ It’s a culture now measured by quantities rather than qualities.” Jonathan Lethem, the novelist, lamented””
About This Quote
Source Interview: Salon magazine, 2012, discussion on accountability in arts and academia
Society increasingly values measurable outcomes over intrinsic quality, pressuring arts and education to prove financial or quantitative worth.
In simple terms: Quality is being replaced by quantity in evaluation.
Key Takeaway
Advocate for qualitative assessment.
Themes
education
art
accountability
measurement
culture
Mood
critical
analytical
Type
philosophical
inquisitive
When to use this quote
- grant applications
- curriculum design
- art funding decisions
- performance reviews
Key Concepts
economics of art
educational policy
qualitative vs quantitative metrics
Questions to Reflect On
- How can institutions balance numbers with meaning?
- What metrics truly reflect artistic impact?
A Different Perspective
Quantitative metrics can overlook deeper cultural and personal value.
