Wednesday, July 18, 2007

Cultural hierarchy and Potter

Lowbrows: Have never read the books. Watch the movies the weekend they are released. Derive joy from calling it "Hari Puttar". Appreciation severely limited to "Cho is cho cute, no?"

Lower-middlebrows: Have read the books AND watched the movies. Deeply involved, and yet a bit confused. Don't remember too many details. Love Hermione, like they loved Dana Scully.

Middlebrows: Have pre-ordered the book. Have made plans to spend Friday night drinking standing outside the bookshop so as to be able to grab the first copy of Deathly Hallows. Know the curses, the charms and the animals. Play Quidditch like they play Calvinball. Have spent at least 15 minutes mulling over who "R. A. B" could be*. Watch the movies without much ado. Chew on it. Promptly post reviews on their blogs saying, the book was better.

Highbrows: Don't read Harry Potter. Claim that it is an insult to the fantasy genre. Wax eloquent about how it's a marketing gimmick, and how everyone has become a capitalist slave. In fact, they force the fact down everybody's throat that they don't endorse the franchise, or anything else. Visit the loo more than once during the movie.

*My guess: It's Sirius Black's Brother.

6 comments:

Harish said...

Does this tie in with your self-proclaimed lower-middlebrow status in an earlier post? It seems like the most pragmatic and desirable 'brow' status of the lot. :)

What about people who were lower-middlebrows, but have become somewhat indifferent owing to the time between book releases?

Anonymous said...

Or,his grand uncle?

Mo said...

@Harry, didn't know you were pottering around. :D

Those who have become indifferent are still lower-middlebrows, because they will get around to reading it sooner or later. :D

@anon, being sarcy?

Anonymous said...

Check the Black family tree :)

Anonymous said...

nt me to shower you with spoilers?

Mo said...

@Anon, I was right, and you were wrong.

@Vijayendra: Ha, this is the reason why I stayed off the internet last weekend.

:D