Hungary has less than half of GDP per capita than Taiwan. But it is surprising to know that 80% of the Budapest citizens can play at least one kind of instrument. Classical music performances or operas were very usual in Budapest. No wonder there is so many outstanding orchestras in Eastern European countries, not to mention the western part.

Back to Taiwan, classical music is deemed as something for the rich or the luxury. Something as freak as wearing a strange dress on the street which catches people’s attention. Not to fawn upon foreign stuff, even domestic arts are also slumbered. Maybe not everyone has the chance to learn an instrument, but what’s more decisive is his attitude. Folks prefer to believe instant and easy information. By this logic, it’s not hard to imagine why would someone be proud of knowing Jay’s latest song but isn’t shamed of not recognizing Chopin’s nocturnes, or joining the scream party but refuse to go to concerts.

In my own term, Taiwan is a culture desert. Only pop culture survives. But the development of culture doesn’t rely on popping. Those once extremely popular will soon be out-fashioned as time goes by. A simple proof: do you still listen to pop music albums produced 5 years ago?

What passing on is something really profound which builds the foundation of culture. I rarely met someone who is interested in classical music, dramas, arts, cinemas, or something not pop. It seemed except pop, there will be nothing called culture. Just like the advocacy of localization by some politicians but found the constitute is very insufficient.

I read an article in the newspaper days ago which uphold S-coffee as a top-grade symbol. No doubt, S has turned coffee into a pop culture and occupies the benefit of the image equality between coffee and their brand. It’s interesting to find that folks tend to believe systematically presented information like advertisement or mass media but seldom discover the real essence of a subject by themselves. Though there is something good about S’ operation but coffee is definitely a failure.

Under such environment, it’s very common to find most of the planning or promotions of culture development in Taiwan are ridiculous. “Candy Culture Festival,” or “Beer Culture Festival” etcetc which seemed to be the counterpart of “Struggle for the Economy”. There is too many the likes which came out of nowhere (candy culture) or something copied from abroad (October Fest from Bayern), something pretentious and lacking long-term benefit. Take a look at “Pottery Culture” in Tawyuan, it’s a precious successful example of planning. There is no need to create something brand new or irrelevant just for developing the culture, what’s important is to prosper our existing treasure. It’s a pity that the authorities and the folks were short sighted and illiterate. The authorities are even undermining existing culture, trying to abandon reality which contributes to the culture background of early generation, rebuilding new culture for itself. I really can’t tell the difference from the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution.

Or, perhaps cultureless is also a kind of culture?