But the wider context of resentment and alienation doesn't have to be, except in the sense that favouring one possible representation = alienation from another (does it?)
Good question. I'd say that the context of assumed alienation is there even if a lot of the individuals don't feel it, just as Taylor is mainstream no matter what she feels, but that's obviously a narrow way to look at music, as being either in a mainstream niche or an alien niche, since there's so much more going on. (I presume that that was one of the thoughts underlying your NOT A TEXT post, that this social analysis leaves so much out. I intend to respond to that when I get the chance.) So "wider" context might not be the word we want. But the genre "indie" in its very name assumes a separation, so the assumption is there when genre is what's at issue.
I'd say all this social differentiation stuff enriches music but sometimes impoverishes the conversation about music, if we treat social differentiation as the main thing going on. I haven't (yet?) looked at the ILM poll convo, but in general I was pleased by how varied and interested the Jukebox approaches to Taylor have been.
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Good question. I'd say that the context of assumed alienation is there even if a lot of the individuals don't feel it, just as Taylor is mainstream no matter what she feels, but that's obviously a narrow way to look at music, as being either in a mainstream niche or an alien niche, since there's so much more going on. (I presume that that was one of the thoughts underlying your NOT A TEXT post, that this social analysis leaves so much out. I intend to respond to that when I get the chance.) So "wider" context might not be the word we want. But the genre "indie" in its very name assumes a separation, so the assumption is there when genre is what's at issue.
I'd say all this social differentiation stuff enriches music but sometimes impoverishes the conversation about music, if we treat social differentiation as the main thing going on. I haven't (yet?) looked at the ILM poll convo, but in general I was pleased by how varied and interested the Jukebox approaches to Taylor have been.