Again, in reply to Hank's post.  How does he know what the putative
   man in the street wants to learn? Is he some sort of expert on this?
   If so, he should be making some serious money.  If he is using some
   sort of intuition about this, then I posit that his intuition is no
   more useful than anyone elses.  And even assuming that he has been
   gifted with the insight that 64% of the men in the street want nothing
   better than to have their prejudices confirmed and to be entertained
   with a dog and pony show, does that mean that this is the role that
   museums must fill?  The majority's desires are not the mandate for
   every single public institution.  Or is there a role that museums hold
   for uncovering complexities that disturb people?

   It is a trite truism that much great art was disturbing and reviled
   when it was first created.  Should this have prevented museums from
   showing it?

   Hank, I think that what people find engaging, entertaining, and
   important is much more diverse than you describe, and that therefore
   museums have a much more diverse role to play.

   Eric Siegel
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