How Low (Or High) Should You Go?

Let's face it. We're in the midst of a war (not that one). A war between those who think watching someone with enlarged mammaries eating animal testicles is great entertainment and those who foam at the mouth when they see people in Borders sipping a mochaccino and reading the latest Dan Brown novel. It's the the war on culture. Are you high or low? Except, wait a second. Traditional battle lines have become obscured by the post-modern factions who'll watch the most depressing garbage. However, as you must understand, they do so ironically with tongue firmly in cheek. That's not fair, you're either on one side or the other! The proles v the literati. The ignoramusses v the erudite. Or put plainly, the smart v the dumb. Right? So why are the smart allowing themselves to be led by the dumb? Or rather, why are they pretending to be led by the dumb whilst sniggering behind their backs and flaunting their own mock stupidity?

Some smart-arse laid into comedian David Mitchell's latest Observer piece on artificial intelligence and sex with his own flabbergasted smugness, lamenting how someone like Mitchell is put on the pedestal that should be reserved solely for the intelligensia. And then this detractor had the audacity to turn on Stephen Fry, Britain's (self-appointed and starting to get a bit annoying rather than charming) national treasue and bastion of the well-informed chattering classes. Mitchell's critic was missing the point. Although the article perhaps lacked a coherent flow, David Mitchell, comedian and persona, is not there to dissect the finer points of robotics and then add a few witty anecdotes that only an esteemed professor from the University of Whatshisface circa 1976-78 will dryly find amusing whilst stroking their outlandish facial hair. He's there to serve up his comic persona, one that many of his readers will already be familiar with, and provide a brief overview of his subject whilst making with the laughs along the way.

So where do folks like Mitchell come into the war on culture? He's a refreshing voice, not too dissimilar in opinion, as he has admitted himself, to Mark Corrigan, the character he plays so well on Channel 4's Peep Show. He's a kind of throwback and welcome change from the vapid rent-a-celebs who litter television and contribute nothing more than white smiles and the good fortune of being attractive to the opposite sex. A knowledgeable young (ish) man with an old head and a diverse set of interests, he happily commentates on the serious issues affecting culture whilst participating as guest or host on a variety of panel shows. QI, in particular, hosted by the aforementioned Fry is certainly no popcorn picnic despite it's comedic value and light-hearted approach to the depths of knowledge. Again, this is where the war on culture gets confusing and the brows of high and low converge and gauge each other's eyes out and then proceed to go out to dinner. McDonald's or Michelin restaurant, it would no longer matter, they are essentially now the same.

Mitchell occupies the same millieu of comedians/writers/celebrities or is that celebrities/comedians/writers (Mitchell, Fry, Charlie Brooker, Jimmy Carr etc) who may enjoy pontificating on serious news stories however they're not adverse to making the odd quip in reference to the latest reality TV star. High brow and low brow no longer know if they want to slit each other's throats or revel in their own smug satisfaction safe in assuming that no matter what they are or what they represent, there's an audience watching/reading/waiting in their thrall. The war is still on but it's all one big conspiracy theory being fought on the front line whilst those in the corridors of power concoct new concepts to keep us entertained. Or at least to keep us talking, no matter what side we're on. Low or high, there's no escaping the fact that we're all entrenched in both camps whether we like it or not. Desperate, kangaroo ingesting celebs or smug observers of culture, we're all destined to meet somewhere in the middle as picking a side and staying true becomes increasingly difficult.