The Financial Meltdown: What Role Do the Arts Play

kdog3683

United States916 Posts

May 11 2009 22:57 GMT

Why is it in our current [horrible]economic crisis, we still invest heavily in the arts? One would think that we would axe it off, and distribute money to more important sectors.

Looking at art can provide a much needed refuge for reflection, sympathy, quietude, inspiration, and even ecstasy in this increasingly chaotic world.

But given the enormous downtime art faces, wouldn't it be much more feasible to direct that energy to something else?

Your thoughts?

micronesia

United States24805 Posts

May 11 2009 23:02 GMT

Arts are important from an economic standpoint, I believe.

Also, cheap entertainment (such as movies during the depression) tend to be very popular when people can't afford more stuff.

I'm sure people who understand economics better could explain why it's still worth it.... but you might want to clarify what you mean by 'arts.'

arcticStorm

United States295 Posts

May 11 2009 23:05 GMT

I doubt the money they spend on art will help compared to the trillions of dollars they are pumping into the economy. Besides, axing art would cause all kinds of economics problems and unemployment.

HooHa!

United States688 Posts

May 11 2009 23:07 GMT

I believe that it would be a travesty if we got rid of the arts in music, crafting, and other things. It is something we as humans need to do. Sure we don't have to, to survive, but it is something that helps us progress, and evolve.

Its a good thing that we still continue with things like music and movies. Its something to do that you can do without anyone's direction and persue and its something that hits you so hard that you just want to put everything you got into it.

Being creative is really a gift that needs to be express, otherwise it would be a downturn in society. I believe so anyways.

Interesting to think that in economic downfalls that rock albums sell more though. So I've heard.

Priapus

United States36 Posts

May 11 2009 23:58 GMT

Well if you look at art history in general you will see that a great deal of money was spent on the arts during the Great Depression. Many of these artists worked on large murals (Rivera, Thomas Hart Benton, John Stuart Mill, Curray to name a few) and photographs (Doretha Lange) in order to inspire American people that everything will pan out if we just perservere and work hard. This was the subject matter of several of Benton's murals. They depicted American working in fields and factories along side the machinery they were building and using. The WPA is what funded these projects and it helped the American people to establish an identity and gave them the comfort of knowing they are not alone or forgottne in their struggle.

QuanticHawk

United States32161 Posts

May 12 2009 00:03 GMT

On May 12 2009 07:57 kdog3683 wrote:
Why is it in our current [horrible]economic crisis, we still invest heavily in the arts? One would think that we would axe it off, and distribute money to more important sectors.

Looking at art can provide a much needed refuge for reflection, sympathy, quietude, inspiration, and even ecstasy in this increasingly chaotic world.

But given the enormous downtime art faces, wouldn't it be much more feasible to direct that energy to something else?

Your thoughts?

It's a drop in the bucket compared to the shit we waste money on. Wanna cut spending? Start holding someone accountable on all the bullshit road construction projects every two fucking miles in this country. So many lazy, stupid union fuckjobs get paid taxpayer money to sit on their asses

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