The monopoly capitalists - even while employing purely empirical methods - weave around art a complicated web which converts it into a willing tool. The superstructure of society ordains the type of art in which the artist has to be educated. Rebels are subdued by its machinery and only rare talents may create their own work. The rest become shameless hacks or are crushed.

Summary

This quote suggests that monopoly capitalists exert control over art by shaping the environment in which artists are trained and the type of art that is deemed acceptable. Through a complex system, art becomes a tool of the ruling class. Those who do not conform to these norms are suppressed or deemed as outcasts, while a few exceptional talents are able to create their own work. The quote implies that the capitalist machinery shapes the artistic landscape, pushing many artists to become compromised or defeated.

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