Critic Quote by Susan Sontag
“An important job of the critic is to savage what is mediocre or meretricious.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: Against Interpretation, Susan Sontag, 1964
The critic's role is to expose and challenge works that are shallow or pretentious, preventing them from being accepted as valuable.
In simple terms: Critics should call out mediocrity and false brilliance.
Key Takeaway
Expose and reject superficial art.
Themes
critique
authenticity
art standards
Mood
analytical
critical
thoughtful
Type
evaluative
philosophical
When to use this quote
- art reviews
- film criticism
- literary analysis
- media commentary
Key Concepts
Aesthetic judgment
cultural criticism
Questions to Reflect On
- What defines mediocrity in art?
- How can criticism balance honesty and fairness?
A Different Perspective
Critics may be biased, and their judgments can be subjective.
![“Anthropology has always struggled with an intense, fascinated repulsion towards its subject… [The anthropologist] submits himself to the exotic to confirm his own inner alienation as an urban intellectual.” quote by Susan Sontag](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/fe1/susan-sontag-332_alienation_anthropology-has-always-struggled-with-a_15322.jpg)
