What was fresh and impudent in the 20’s is now as “weary,nstale, flat, and unprofitable” as all the other cultural “uses ofnthe world.”nThe final result of the cultural revolution that coincidednwith World War I is that a writer or painter today has twonpaths before him: a profitable career as capitalist artist or ancomfortable sinecure as artist-rebel. If he decides to becomena capitalist, then he will with any luck crank out a series ofnStephen King novels or society portraits like so manynmicrowave dinners: tasteless, insubstantial, and liable to turnna delicate stomach but, at the same time, immenselynprofitable to the patent-holders. (Notice, by the way, hownpopular novels are advertised as “the new Barbara Cartland”nor the latest “Jay Mclnerney” as if they were automobiles.)nThe other career path is the professional antisocial rebel.nThis means, in practice, taking on the government asnpatron: university jobs, major grants, tax-subsidized publications,nexhibitions, and lecture tours. All that is required ofnyou is to parrot the lies of the regime: the American family isna sick institution. Western man is racist and sexist, Christianitynhas poisoned the water and killed ofiFthe whales, etc., etc.nThe solution to each of these crises is more money for socialnagencies, more money to fight racism and pollution, and —ndo not forget—more money for “the Arts” — a relativelynnew term which very nearly gives the game away bynlumping together poetry and sculpture and macrame as sonmany officially licensed diversions. And with more moneyncome more and bigger government agencies to tell us hownto live our lives and increased power for a managerial/nexecutive class that functions as our more powerful analoguenof the crumbling Soviet nomenklatura.nIt is for this if no other reason that national electionsnchange nothing. It will not matter whether we sendnDemocrats or Republicans, conservatives or liberals tonWashington, until we find candidates willing to challengenthe regime itself This will mean pulling the plug, or at leastnshort-circuiting the agitprop machine — the NEA, thenNEH, the Department of Education, and all their satellitenagencies in the states. It would also mean eliminating thenfederal presence in colleges and universities and reconvertingnall our schools from indoctrination centers to places ofnlearning. If higher education turns out to be too expensivenfor most students, perhaps they will discover how fundamentallynuseless is an American college degree.nSome artists and writers with a gift for teaching wouldnremain in the academy; others, once they could no longernget their fix of “money for nothing,” could either turnnprofessional and produce salable works or else find patronsnor sponsors. Frankly, I am not too worried. There will alwaysnbe a market for pornography and blasphemy, and in andecentralized culture intelligent rich people might oncenagain learn to trust their own taste and judgment, which willnalways be superior to the official standards of “good enoughnfor government work.” <^nTHE WISDOM OF THE PLANNED GIFTnThere are a variety of ways to give to educational and charitable organizations, likenThe Rockford Institute, publisher of Chronicles: A Magazine of American Culture.nMost people make outright gifts which result in a “charitable deduction” from theirntaxable income in a given year. But there are other ways to give that can preservenincome or assets for a donor and his beneficiaries, avoid capital gains and estatentaxes, and benefit the Institute or other charities of your choice. These are oftennreferred to as “planned gifts.”nPooled Income Finds provide income to a donor or his beneficiary and cannbe established at the $5,000 level. The amount in the fund can be added to eachnyear, and the amount of income depends on the performance of the poolednfund. This fund has both high income and growth-oriented investments, and thenreturn is generally much higher than stock dividends. The amount of charitablentax deduction for the gift depends on the fair market value of the assets contributedn(there is no capital gains tax on stock contributions) and is related to the age of the donor or beneficiaries.nThere is no capital gains tax to the donor on the increased value of the fund over time. Upon the death of thendonor or beneficiary, the assets go to the Institute and bypass estate taxes.nLegacy Program, The Rockford Institute, 934 North Main Street, Rocliford, IL 61103nn Please send me general information on the various “Planned Giving” options.nD Please send me information on the Institute’s Pooled Income Find.n,STATE .nIf you have a specific asset, such as stocks, that you are considering for a contribution, and if you would like the Institute tonevaluate the financial and tax implications for your gift, please include the following information:nSS# (SPOUSE) _nCOST OF ASSET. ESTIMATED MARKET VALUE .nnnJUNE 1990/17n