The emergence of the popular arts in the twentieth century, as in earlier periods of Western history, has been characterized by contrary developments: one toward a narrowing of vision – greater subjectivity; and a second toward broadening of that vision –greater objectivity. The sixties and seventies have seen the sharpening of an internal tension within developing kinds, between universality and provinciality– content and form. If the popular arts of the sixties have served to measure the accelerating crises of modern industrial societies, they have done so in contrary patterns. The arts of the sixties and seventies –particularly the performing arts –have been simultaneously personal and universal, irrational and rational.