Saturday, August 19, 2017

Ever Wonder How Actual "Curators" Feel about Everyone else's Curations?

Starbucks is "curating" snacks for you.  Really?  Has it come to this?  Let's look at this word a bit (see below).  First definition: a member of the clergy engaged as an assistant to a vicar (hmmm, actually I need to get me one of those).  No, not the noun, silly, the verb below, to "select, organize and look after the items in a collection or exhibition" -- for my entire life this has been the definition of "to curate" -- curating is for art and is done by pros.

Now-a-days, people are "curating" a lot of other things (as evidenced by definition 3 of the verb one below): Youtube videos and book ideas and, you don't have wait for it, snacks.  Did we really need to repurpose this special word?  Couldn't it have stayed with art and we could have made do with "chosen?"  I guess not.  I guess that' why I curated this rant for you...
cu·rate1

ˈkyo͝orət,ˈkyo͝oˌrāt/
noun
noun: curate; plural noun: curates
  1. a member of the clergy engaged as assistant to a vicar, rector, or parish priest.
    • archaic
      a minister with pastoral responsibility.
cu·rate2
ˌkyo͝oˈrāt,ˈkyo͝oˌrāt/
verb
  1. select, organize, and look after the items in (a collection or exhibition).
    "both exhibitions are curated by the museum's director"
    • select the performers or performances that will feature in (an arts event or program).
      "in past years the festival has been curated by the likes of David Bowie"
    • select, organize, and present (online content, merchandise, information, etc.), typically using professional or expert knowledge.

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