Arts and Culture - What Are Our Favorite Cultural Activities?, How We Express Our Creative Side, Are We Still Reading?

The panels in this chapter will take a look at some of the major changes in the field of arts and culture.

The first charts will offer a general look at the cultural events that we enjoy. How do we spend our free time? Some of us write poetry on the side, have discovered ballroom dancing, or enjoy taking a stroll through a park on a Saturday afternoon. We'll see that some activities still exist — opera has a small but devoted following — while others have experienced surprising rebirths.

Other panels will take a closer look at some of the mainstays of the world of art and culture. We'll see that museums have managed to reinvent themselves by blending popular exhibits with programs that entertain families and address important social turns in our history. Later, we'll examine how technology has begun to shape our entertainment. Computers, the Internet, and pay television are all competing for our attention. But will all our electronic gadgets change us? Are they making us less social?

Indeed, with all this technology, we must not forget about the beloved book. We can wander through stadium-sized megastores, drinking lattes, and browse to our hearts' content. But are we still buying books? Are we still reading? And what of young people, weaned on electronics and MTV. Can the book still compete?

We'll also take a look at another great American pursuit: going to the movies. Statistics offer a surprising review of the film industry. The last panel will look at the topic of ratings: is entertainment getting too adult? What will this mean?