For Alan Riding, culture no longer influences the political debate

Cultural columnist Alan Riding notes the fading of intellectuals as independent voices in public debate. "What might be called Western 'classical' culture has lost enormous ground to popular culture and its accompanying celebrity fever. Even that fixture of the Paris Left Bank, the public intellectual, has almost disappeared. Harold Pinter still rages against the United States, Gunter Grass still beats his drum, but few writers under the age of 60 seem to feel it their duty to lead public debate. ... With the entertainment industry largely apolitical, a handful of movie and rock stars, Sting, George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Bono and Bob Geldof among them, have stepped forward to support worthy causes. ... Certainly, culture's recent record of influencing politics and connecting with society has not been great. And that is our loss. The passage from 'arts and society' to 'arts and entertainment' has brought fame and fortune to some and little enlightenment to the rest of us."

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