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I think most of us agree on some sort of "spectrum of taste," but (especially for those of us who fall outside the mainstream) that raises a question about the relevance of the "spectrum."
Is Bauhaus (for example) high-end or low end? They're certainly higher than Britney Spears, and probably lower than Beethoven. But most people would still prefer to avoid them altogether.
In most fields where taste is an issue, connoisseurs try to reference "objective" criteria. For instance, in music, being on key is rather important. But what of industrial bands, where dissonance is sought after? Should they be ranked with singers who just can't hit the notes?
There's plenty of evidence, if you choose to research it, that "taste" is the result of societal inequity--that is, what the upper classes like is in good taste; what smacks of the plebian is crass.
So, then, are standards of taste simply cultural constructs, and elitist ones at that, or is there an underlying pattern that transcends culture?
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