Blog #8

BEFORE: Throughout history the usage of photography has helped show world issues and tragedies. From pictures of the Vietnam war to pictures of just a homeless boy begging on the side of the road, photos help share a story. With the art of photography, we can help spread awareness all over the world. Art exposes the raw side of the world, it allows people to actually see the issues or event that are happening. People hear about these things but when you show them a photo it hits them how terrible things really are. Southan talks about how “most of us manage to ignore those dying of poverty and preventable disease all over the world” but with the use of photography it might motivate people to want to help these people and their situations. Lots of people do not acknowledge these problems that are occurring that they know are happening. With photography maybe, they will be forced to act to help these people in need. The photos hold the reality of what is happening in the world today. The EAs believe that it “seemed doubtful that art [has] much power to alter the world for the better” but I disagree completely.

Art holds messages that people can interpret in their own ways. For people that are artist, the use of art helps them expand their creative minds. Southan says that “artist, meanwhile, paint the beautiful landscapes in front of them while the rest of the world burns” but that is if they only choose to ignore the world problems. If art is used to share the atrocities through paintings and pictures then it is being used in an effective way. But not only does it help people realize the world’s problems, art can help those going through tough times themselves. As stated before people can relate to art, they interpret it how they would like to. People find understanding through art, I know just personally when I’m feeling down when I listen to music it helps me feel better. Art is full of “emotions that releases the human experience” (Zander). When I go to the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston it is always packed, art has a large role in society today.

NEW: Thomas Merton once said that “Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time.”, art comes in so many different forms, but all of them hold an importance in the world and society today. Whether it is just seeing a picture that you like or a song that you can relate to, art impacts people in many ways. Benjamin Zander, a famous English conductor, discusses how music touches the souls of people. While Rhys Southan, a freelance writer, talks about his thoughts of the importance of art while reporting the ideas of the Effective Altruists, a group of people that focus on helping others and believe that art does not help others better than money and time. Despite the beliefs of the EAs, Zander’s TED talk helps prove that art does help the people in the world through an emotional and psychological way.

Art holds messages that people can interpret in their own ways. For people that are artist, the use of art helps them expand their creative minds. Southan says that “artist, meanwhile, paint the beautiful landscapes in front of them while the rest of the world burns” but that is if they only choose to ignore the world problems. Art can be used in many ways to help people of the world. If art is used to share the atrocities through paintings and pictures then it is being used in an effective way. But not only does it help people realize the world’s problems, art can help those going through tough times themselves. Art is something in which people can relate to, they interpret it how they would like to. Art is full of “emotions that releases the human experience” (Zander). When I go to the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston it is always packed and I tend to notice that art has an influential role in society today. Just another thing that should be noticed when focusing on the argument if art hold an importance in the world.

Art can be used to help lift the morale’s of those suffering in a time of sadness. Music is an extremely crucial factor when regarding making people feel better. Personally, when I am upset, listening to music helps me feel better. It calms me down and helps me release some of my emotions that I am dealing with at that time. Zander believes that music helps keep peoples’ chins up when they listen to music. Music has the capability to connect to peoples’ emotions

“Would you think of somebody who you adore who’s no longer there- a beloved grandmother, a lover- somebody in your life who you love with all of your heart? Bring that person into your mind, and you’ll hear everything that Chopin had to say” (Zander)

Zander expresses how music helps bring back memories of those that people miss. Remembering a loved one through music can sometimes help people emotionally deal with the loss of them. The Effective Altruist seem to ignore the whole emotional aspect of art. Everyone in the world has emotions, they all deal with life issues and go through some dark patches once and a while. So art does help peoples’ morale therefore, helping the people of the world despite the Effective Altruists belief that it seems “doubtful that art [has] much power to alter the world” (Southan).

EDIT: I threw some more quotes into my essay. I added these to help support my thesis along with backing up my sentences. I also added a few more sentences into each paragraphs because I feel that they were necessary.