The term "degenerate art" is more widely known as used in Nazi propaganda, particuarly when directed against art and music with a percieved "jewish", "bolshevik" and "modernist" background in contrast to traditional themes and styles. This led to the "degenerate art exhibition" held in Munich in 1937 which- very much an unintended consequence from the nazis point of view- became extremely successful attended by over 1 million people in the first six weeks of the exhibition.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Degenerate_Art_Exhibition
Whilst this is almost certianly a lesson in the failure of censorship, I was wondering if perhaps the concept of "degenerate art" had some merit [edit: without the racial or antisemitic implications of nazi ideology.]
Art and music produce strong emotional responses. Whilst these can vary quitely wildly, this is not necessarily a question of subjective taste.
At present there is quite an output of dystopian, apocolyptic and post-apocolyptic works such as in films, television and books. This cultural output has wider social effects that cannot be confined simply to the individual who views it. Art has the capacity to shape society as a propaganda medium for certian values or as Stalin put it, "writers are the engineers of the human soul".
Much of this cultural output is driven for entirely commercial reasons: it just sells. It doesn't matter what effect it has on the person, its about the money that changes hands. Mass media- whether its in the hands of the state or private entities- is a propaganda medium. This commercial approach is a form of cultural libertinism in which the "consumer" can determine what is valued in the output based on demand. On this basis, any taste is acceptable- not matter how extreme, or how affecting and disturbing its effect on the viewer.
I am not going to argue that a single work of art is the difference between mental health and madness. I think that is an exaggeration. But there is arguably a case to be made that a society which is consistently exposed to forms of cultural pessimism reinforces perverted masochistic values over more healthy, life-affirming ones.
If we accept that man is biologically and psychologically predisposed to pleasure and that can act as an objective standard of mental health, why are forms of cultural pessimism so pervasive?
Surely that indicates at least a symptom of a deeper mental health crisis with the prevelence of anxiety disorders and depression if not potentially reinforcing those tendencies or causing it to affect more and more people?
How did a culture which presumes the freedom and dignity of the individual, our capacity for reason and the pursuit of happiness as a life affirming goal produce an masochistic orgy of angst ridden pop music about unrequited love, sexual frustration, suicide, self-harming, death and other generally depressing stuff?
I could go on, but I think you see what I'm getting at.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Degenerate_Art_Exhibition
Whilst this is almost certianly a lesson in the failure of censorship, I was wondering if perhaps the concept of "degenerate art" had some merit [edit: without the racial or antisemitic implications of nazi ideology.]
Art and music produce strong emotional responses. Whilst these can vary quitely wildly, this is not necessarily a question of subjective taste.
At present there is quite an output of dystopian, apocolyptic and post-apocolyptic works such as in films, television and books. This cultural output has wider social effects that cannot be confined simply to the individual who views it. Art has the capacity to shape society as a propaganda medium for certian values or as Stalin put it, "writers are the engineers of the human soul".
Much of this cultural output is driven for entirely commercial reasons: it just sells. It doesn't matter what effect it has on the person, its about the money that changes hands. Mass media- whether its in the hands of the state or private entities- is a propaganda medium. This commercial approach is a form of cultural libertinism in which the "consumer" can determine what is valued in the output based on demand. On this basis, any taste is acceptable- not matter how extreme, or how affecting and disturbing its effect on the viewer.
I am not going to argue that a single work of art is the difference between mental health and madness. I think that is an exaggeration. But there is arguably a case to be made that a society which is consistently exposed to forms of cultural pessimism reinforces perverted masochistic values over more healthy, life-affirming ones.
If we accept that man is biologically and psychologically predisposed to pleasure and that can act as an objective standard of mental health, why are forms of cultural pessimism so pervasive?
Surely that indicates at least a symptom of a deeper mental health crisis with the prevelence of anxiety disorders and depression if not potentially reinforcing those tendencies or causing it to affect more and more people?
How did a culture which presumes the freedom and dignity of the individual, our capacity for reason and the pursuit of happiness as a life affirming goal produce an masochistic orgy of angst ridden pop music about unrequited love, sexual frustration, suicide, self-harming, death and other generally depressing stuff?
I could go on, but I think you see what I'm getting at.
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