Does literary criticism have a purpose? If so, what is it? Does it affect society en masse, or are its effects isolated to an educated few? What do critics themselves argue?
>Does literary criticism have a purpose?
A writer would like to know where to improve. A reader wouldn't want to miss out on things.
>Does it affect society en masse
People don't read. Not just the criticism, any text.
Conceivably, a community of sycophants is likely to react negatively to any criticism to their most fashionable genre fiction writer of the year, for only they can have the true understanding of the work.
>What do critics themselves argue?
Lack of ideological conformity to their particular political views held for the current decade, with an overabundance of quotations marks, brackets, Twitter-sized paragraphs, and whichever other reason for which you see authors seeking the assistance of editors.
read Forms of Attention by Kermode