"Fanaticism" / "Dilettantism" - It's all about the Internet.

Another late edition - on account on my non-existent entry into actual thread.

SReynolds is a classically trained SUBCULTURALIST -
His benchmark for analysis is AUTHENTICITY - finding that 'sacred space' of resistence - for 'social energy' read race, class, locality.

This is why he luvs Gabba-garage - and why he compares it to punk (i.e. Hebdige). This is also why slags off Bastardpop as irrelevant (a premier dillettant subculture).

There's something suspect about this formation, probably why SR ends up being a dislocated dillettant despite himself - that's the perfect non-place to romantize the 'placement' of Dizzy Rascal.

Wait a minute - this is what I meant say, nevermind...

DOESN'T THE INTERNET ACTUALLY ENCOURAGE DILLETTANTISM?
If you mean "dabbling in 100 different unrelated things simultaneously" then yes, it does encourage dilletantism. And its good thing.
If you mean "snobs with extremely shallow knowledge getting into fierce, halfwitted arguments about esoterica with the more well informed specialists..." then yes, it does encourage dilletantism. And its a bad thing.
What we all need to do (me included) is to keep in mind that we, at any moment, might actually step outside our limited knowledge and go from being well informed specialist to being the halfwitted snob...
and not notice that we have become the halfwit snob.

Not quite sure why I'm chiming in as I'm already half-regretting my column this week; I'm really overly wrapped up in this weird, anxious question of critical authority. I think what I'm looking for -- the "good dilettantism," if you will -- is the way to speak with enthusiasm about music that excites me, and to turn readers on to things they may not know about, but without the pretensions of being an absolute authority (or "halfwit snob," in Lord Custos' formulation).

So yes, the Internet absolutely encourages dilettantism both good and bad; I think what I'm trying to grapple with is how to keep in mind the original cultural context of whatever music I'm talking about, even if it's something I haven't experienced firsthand. (I think with garage, particularly, its moment-to-moment evolution is part of what makes it difficult to speak about from a distance.) I haven't quite figured it out yet - I'm actually finding myself stuck on this very weird stumbling block. Maybe the very consciousness of having an "audience" is part of the problem, as it makes you start thinking consciously about your authority (or lack thereof).

Frankly, I prefer Luke's approach (just chill out and enjoy it) - I'm just waaaay too uptight for that method. :)