For all its flexibility, television is more a mirror of taste than a shaper of it. Russell Lynes More Quotes by Russell Lynes More Quotes From Russell Lynes Calling you an idiot would be an insult to all the stupid people. Russell Lynes stupidwisepeople The bungalow had more to do with how Americans live today than any other building that has gone remotely by the name of architecture in our history. Russell Lynes live-for-todaygonenames Clutter is what happens to things when they become useless but friendly. Russell Lynes possessionuselessfriendly Any real New Yorker is a you-name-it-we-have-it-snob whose heart brims with sympathy for the millions of unfortunates who through misfortune, misguidedness or pure stupidity live anywhere else in the world. Russell Lynes realheartsympathy The shaping of taste is essentially the science of merchandising, whether of detergents or cars or books or objects of fine and decorative art. Russell Lynes carbookart In my estimation, the only thing that is more to be guarded against than bad taste is good taste. Russell Lynes estimationguardedtaste Ragtime was a fanfare for the 20th century. Russell Lynes ragtime20th-centurycentury The Art Snob will stand back from a picture at some distance, his head cocked slightly to one side Russell Lynes distancesidesart What we are headed for is a sort of social structure in which the highbrows are the elite, the middlebrows are the bourgeoisie and the lowbrows are hoi polloi. Russell Lynes bourgeoisiesocialart Improvisation was the blood and bone of jazz, and in the classic, New Orleans jazz it was collective improvisation in which each performer, seemingly going his own melodic way, played in harmony, dissonance, or counterpoint with the improvisations of his colleagues. Quite unlike ragtime, which was written down in many cases by its composers and could be repeated note for note (if not expression for expression) by others, jazz was a performer's not a composer's art. Russell Lynes new-orleansexpressionart There is a distinction to be drawn between true collectors and accumulators. Collectors are discriminating; accumulators act at random. The Collyer brothers, who died among the tons of newspapers and trash with which they filled every cubic foot of their house so that they could scarcely move, were a classic example of accumulators, but there are many of us whose houses are filled with all manner of things that we "can't bear to throw away. Russell Lynes brotherfeetmoving Wasting time is negative, but there is something positive about idleness. Russell Lynes idlenesswasting-timenegative The true snob never rests; there is always a higher goal to attain, and there are, by the same token, always more and more people to look down upon. Russell Lynes truthclasspeople There are times when you just get down, you feel like nobody likes you. We're in high school forever. It's just what we do with it. Russell Lynes foreverattitudeschool The Art Snob can be recognized in the home by the quick look he gives the pictures on your walls, quick but penetrating, as though he were undressing them. This is followed either by complete and pained silence or a comment such as 'That's really a very pleasant little water color you have there. Russell Lynes wallhomeart I'd love to ask how old you are, but unfortunately I know you can't count that high. Russell Lynes old-youinsultwise I'm sorry, I'm a little busy. Can i ignore you later? Russell Lynes wisesorrylittles Every journalist has a novel in him, which is an excellent place for it. Russell Lynes excellentdrinkingwriting Your village just called. They're missing an idiot. Russell Lynes villagewisemissing And I thought I had problems? Look at your face! Russell Lynes wisefaceslooks
