Today, I read an article about the progressive disappearance of public libraries in the rural areas of Germany, and it got me thinking:
Bibliothekssterben in MeckPomm (German)
If libraries hadn’t existed for centuries now, there’s no way the concept could have been invented in our time. Think of it:
Libraries provide free and unlimited access to knowledge and culture for anyone. This is a relic from the eras of enlightenment and of the workers’ movement from the late XIXth and early XXth century. In our time of Post-Capitalism (or Neo-Feudalism) this is utterly anachronistic.
In our time, knowledge and culture are commodities to be traded, and most of all: to be rented from corporations at their terms, which means, you can’t simply get what you want or need:
«Oh! You want to read “Romeo and Juliet”? I’m afraid, that’s not possible, unless you subscribe to the Shakespeare plan which will give you full access to 100 plays by the Bard.»
«”Julius Caesar”? I am sorry, for that you will have to join the Shakespeare-Gold plan with 50 additional plays.»
«”A Midsummer Nights’ Dream”? We don’t have that on offer any longer. But just this month, we have an incredible offer for The Globe Theatre Front Row Plan, which has modernized shortened versions, not only of Shakespeare’s plays, but also to those by 40 other Elizabethan authors.»
The creeping erosion of open access to culture and knowledge is not only driven by capitalist monopolies, but also fits nicely into the post-factual society, right-wing populism is creating.
Anti-Intellectualism has always been a trademark of right wing ideologies, and the current ones, popping up all over the world in their different, but always disgusting, flavours, are no exception.
In this context, it is worth mentioning that the disregard for free access to knowledge and culture is not a unique idiosyncrasy of the far right, it is also shared widely in moderately conservative and liberal spheres. For them, knowledge is a tool which enables people to be productive members of society. They don’t see the personal acquisition of knowledge having a value on its own.
Many conservatives and liberals have a similar attitude towards culture: To them, culture is not an essential human right and necessity, but a tradable good to be enjoyed by those with the necessary means to do so.
So: Are public libraries and museums anachronistic?
Very much so, I’m afraid. But I shall always defend them.
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