Sadness in the SF Asian Art Museum

A. G. Maisey · 4th August 2009, 01:08 AM

Yes, we can see similar attendances at the special exhibitions staged by museums and art galleries here in Australia.

We even see such attendances when people have to pay substantial entry fees.

But you need to convince the general public, ie, the tax payers, that XXXX amount of dollars is better spent on a museum than on hospitals, roads, education, child care facilities, or on "saving the trees".

Try telling Johnny Average who works 50 hours a week in an un-airconditioned factory that he needs to pay 75 cents extra tax every week to look after a bunch of old daggers, or old china, or native wood carvings.

There's not a single politician out there anywhere who is either so brave, or so stupid.

Its not the museum staff that need convincing.

They only operate in accordance with the advice received from departmental bureaucrats, who in turn get their direction from politicians.

The pollies get their ideas from the people who elect them to office.

If we want change there is only one way to do it, and that is to educate an entire community in the value of artifacts from bygone ages.

Regretably most of that community anywhere in the world is more concerned with keeping food on the table, or when they can replace the ten year old clunker that's standing in the driveway.

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4th August 2009, 01:08 AM	#7
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 7,015	Yes, we can see similar attendances at the special exhibitions staged by museums and art galleries here in Australia. We even see such attendances when people have to pay substantial entry fees. But you need to convince the general public, ie, the tax payers, that XXXX amount of dollars is better spent on a museum than on hospitals, roads, education, child care facilities, or on "saving the trees". Try telling Johnny Average who works 50 hours a week in an un-airconditioned factory that he needs to pay 75 cents extra tax every week to look after a bunch of old daggers, or old china, or native wood carvings. There's not a single politician out there anywhere who is either so brave, or so stupid. Its not the museum staff that need convincing. They only operate in accordance with the advice received from departmental bureaucrats, who in turn get their direction from politicians. The pollies get their ideas from the people who elect them to office. If we want change there is only one way to do it, and that is to educate an entire community in the value of artifacts from bygone ages. Regretably most of that community anywhere in the world is more concerned with keeping food on the table, or when they can replace the ten year old clunker that's standing in the driveway.