Culture Alive and Well in County

Relocating a column, much like relocating a household, produces a frenzy of conflicting emotions--anxiety and exhilaration; regret and hopefulness; fear and relief.

Ironically, while this columnist was making the transition from the Ventura Calendar Weekend section to this one, the columnist’s boss was making a move from one house to another.

While a temporary drought of ideas caused a rising tide of panic to surge through the columnist, an actual wave of water flooded the boss’ new home. The reverse osmosis unit in his house had backed up, ruining the carpet.

The next day the two met to discuss the direction of things to come. “I have only one rule,” the boss said. “Don’t ever write about reverse osmosis. . . .Think about culture instead. Or walks on the beach. Or pretty much anything else you want.”

This was sounding like a great way to make a living. Particularly attractive were the walks on the beach and “pretty much anything else you want” aspects of the job. But the boss was not himself. It would be just a matter of time before he began wondering why the Thursday columnist was spending so much company time writing about pink sunsets.

Best to focus on culture, it seemed. Great idea. The only problem is, what is it exactly? To many, the word conjures thoughts of art, music and all things aesthetic. But it has other, less highbrow, associations, including, to anyone who has spent time in a pediatrician’s office, links to bacteria, cotton swabs and petri dishes.

In the mouths of tyrants, culture has tended to be a curse word, synonymous with cosmopolitanism and overrefinement. “When I hear the word . . . I reach for my revolver,” said one official of the Third Reich.

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On the other hand, the word has often been used by pedants and popularizers as a stick to prod and herd people toward what is supposed to be good for them.

But generally, “culture” has been treated in a more generous spirit. In fact, it is a concept over which poets and philosophers have been known to get really choked up.

In the middle of this century, author and journalist H.L. Mencken said that “culture itself is neither education nor lawmaking: It is an atmosphere and a heritage.”

Well, we certainly have plenty of atmosphere and heritage in these parts. But as a definition to work by, this one is way too vague, its head way up in the clouds.

So, in a last-ditch effort to find something solid and workable, we hit the Bartlett’s one more time and come upon social critic and poet Matthew Arnold. In 1873 he defined culture as the pursuit of “the best which has been thought and said in the world.”

OK, it’s a bit pretentious, but it’s a definition that allows a lot of wiggle room. And it gets us right back to where we started: Write about anything.

And when Arnold goes on to state--rather emphatically--that “culture is the study of perfection,” he applies the finishing touches to what is easily the dream job in journalism. Just thinking about it makes me weak in the knees: A whole writing season could be spent in pursuit of the purest symphonic note, the most exquisite pink sunset or the flawless red strawberry.

Of course, it doesn’t leave much room for the quirky, the messy or the flawed, all of which are part of real life and everyday culture and essential to any good column.

Given that, it is probably best that we stay away from potentially loaded or confusing words and just call this column Spotlight. That way we can just beam it at every corner of the county and report back on what sparkles.

Keep your eye on this space. There will be reports on eaters and readers, bowlers and birders, dancers and animators; profiles on interesting neighbors and creative types; and tips on historic sites, great things to eat and out-of-the-way corners that allow you to get away from it all. In other words, we will report on culture, Ventura County style.

Four days a week, we will offer features and reviews on the Out and About page that will help readers plan their weekends and give them options on how to spend their leisure time and generally celebrate life in this county.

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Each Thursday, the Spotlight column will appear on this page, while inside the readers will find columnist Jane Hulse writing Family Jaunts, which will highlight the best weekend outings, and drama critic Todd Everett penning Theater Notes, featuring advances and reviews. Friday’s section will be devoted to music, with Josef Woodard’s Sounds column on classical, jazz and new music, while Bill Locey does Rocktalk and Robyn Loewenthal brings us Country Roundup, describing other musical options around the county.

Consumers will get help with their errands on Saturdays when Brenda Loree offers tips on fresh produce and specialty food items; Leo Smith points the way to great buys in his Shopping column and Rodney Bosch brings us restaurant news in Tidbits. Sunday will feature Ann Shields’ column, Page Turner, on books and writers, while Josef Woodard provides art reviews with Sights.

So let’s move forward, in high gear, no reverse--and certainly no reverse osmosis--in search of cultural high-water marks.

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Wendy Miller is a Times staff writer.