Mar 16 • 01:01 UTC 🇪🇸 Spain El Mundo

Sara Barquinero: "By wanting to democratize culture, we have banalized it. Reggaeton is not the same as Chopin"

Sara Barquinero critiques the democratization of culture, arguing that it has led to a dilution of artistic value, highlighting differences between genres like reggaeton and classical music.

In her latest work, Sara Barquinero reflects on the cultural hierarchies that persist in contemporary society. She emphasizes that the inequalities within cultural spaces are not merely driven by financial resources or talent, but by a more elusive form of inherited confidence—what she terms 'cultural capital' that is often not formally taught. This perspective stems from her experiences while completing her doctoral studies and engaging with various cultural environments, where these invisible hierarchies became apparent to her.

Barquinero's previous novel, 'Los escorpiones', already showcased a critical view of Generation Z and its discontents, and her new book promises to delve deeper into the uncomfortable intersections of intellectual aspirations, social inequalities, and romantic fantasies. She argues that the push for cultural democratization, intended to make art more accessible, has inadvertently led to a trivialization of serious art forms. The difference, she implies, between reggaeton and Chopin serves as a metaphor for this cultural dilemma, where the value attributed to different forms of art reflects deeper societal issues.

Through her work, Barquinero aims to provoke thought and discussion around what is considered valuable in culture today. By unabashedly tackling these challenging topics, she hopes to challenge readers to reconsider their preconceived notions of art and cultural worth, fostering a dialogue about the implications of a culture that seeks to be inclusive but risks becoming insipid.

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