Why is art important?
Aside from the fundamental value of entertainment, art has a critical role in society. This function of art has been lost. What is this function? Why are we losing it? Let's discuss.
Arts comprise a broad field, including literature, paintings, music, theatre, sculpture, and many other sub-domains, including classical and modern art. There are many benefits to art, both personal and social. However, there is one particular benefit that is essential to society. Art helps guide social innovation.
Journalism v Arts
Journalism is a commentary on society and, as such, is limited by what is happening in society. It exposes the reality of what actually happens in society. The reporters keep their bias and judgements out of the reporting.
But journalism misses a lot. It forgets the mundane and focuses on the remarkable. Dog bites man is not news but man bites dog is. It is often in the mundane that the society exposes itself - its values, customs, norms and assumptions.
We, the readers of journalism, measure this reality against what we assume are the values and social mores of our community. Sometimes, we are shocked, and other times, we are proud of what is happening in our society.
In the quiet times, we wonder what society has come to and worry about where it is headed. We wonder what society SHOULD be or what it COULD be - what our ideal society is. We are not always sure what the ideal is. Nor do we comprehend how everyone would fare if our ideal society materialised. Often, our perfect society is only ideal for our impression of us.
And, that is the function of art!
‘Some men see things as they are and say why, I dream things that never were and say, why not’ – George Bernard Shaw (1856–1950)
Art imagines society as it can be and paints a picture of such a possibility. These possibilities act like a social goal, moving the values, customs and social mores to reach such a goal.
Conversely, artists may dream of an abhorrent society and something to move away from. The society then contemplates its values, customs and social mores and moves away from such a future.
Art forces us to examine our values, sometimes in unique circumstances where we are forced to question them. We see crude examples in TV series where the detective is wondering if he should kill the perpetrator of a heinous crime himself.
Art also exposes our bias by challenging our beliefs through comedy or tragedy, planting the seeds of social change.
We need better art!
Sadly, we live in an era where journalists are biased. They colour the world with their bias. The stories of the real people are lost. We are imposing a set of values on this world and silencing the voices affected by this forceful imposition. And that is why we need more art, better art now.
We want the fiction writers, the artists, and the performers to bring out the stories thus far hidden from us. It used to be that art often revealed itself at the fringes of society. Today, real art will reveal itself in what is hidden from us.