Book Quote by Susan Sontag
“The ratio of authentic literature to trash in pornography may be somewhat lower than the ratio of novels of genuine literary meritto the entire volume of sub-literary fiction produced for mass taste. But it is probably not lower than, for instance, that of another somewhat shady sub-genre with a few first-rate books to its credit, science fiction.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: Notes on “Camp”, 1964
Literary quality varies across genres; while some genres are dismissed as lowbrow, they can contain high‑quality works comparable to those in more respected categories.
In simple terms: Even “low” genres can hold great literature.
Key Takeaway
Seek merit beyond genre labels.
Themes
culture
literature
genre
valuation
criticism
Mood
critical
inquisitive
Type
analytical
philosophical
When to use this quote
- book clubs
- academic curricula
- publishing decisions
- media criticism
- personal reading choices
Key Concepts
aesthetic hierarchy
subjective taste
cultural bias
Questions to Reflect On
- What criteria should define literary merit?
- How do personal biases shape our genre preferences?
A Different Perspective
Genre hierarchies often reflect cultural prejudice rather than intrinsic value.
![“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)
