SUMMARY:
For those of you trying to follow along with this thread but hesitant to jump in with your opinions, I thought perhaps a summary post might encourage participation from those who haven't yet chimed in.
The original question was exploring the role of contemporary (modern) classical music in our society. By necessary extension, this has expanded to mean art in general.
At this point in the thread, the major theme appears to be that of modern vs. traditional standards of art. Traditionally, all artwork was held to a societal standard; if a piece didn't meet such standards, it was disregarded as subpar or ugly or shocking—in other words, as non-art. However, the modern view is that art has no objective standards—beauty is in the eye of the beholder—and any artwork that exemplifies this mindset is considered "good" or "acceptable" art. This has led, for example, to the classification of such pieces as menstrual blood paintings and jars of human excrement as actual works of art.
It isn't difficult to translate these effects into the realm of music. So, what does everyone think about avant garde music? Is it real music? Is it true artwork? And, ultimately, what is its role in society?