The greater the decrease in the social significance of an art form, the sharper the distinction between criticism and enjoyment by the public. The conventional is uncritically enjoyed, and the truly new is criticized with aversion.

Summary

This quote suggests that as the social importance of an art form diminishes, the public becomes more divided between those who passively enjoy conventional or traditional art without critically analyzing it, and those who strongly criticize and reject truly innovative and new forms of art. The more established and widely accepted an art form becomes, the less likely it is to face criticism or aversion, whereas unconventional and groundbreaking art tends to face more resistance and skepticism from the public. Overall, the quote highlights the tension between the public's ability to appreciate and criticize different forms of art based on their social significance.

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