Exploitation vs. The Arts

[xXMidori-ToraXx]

So art by the internets definition is:

Human effort to imitate, supplement, alter, or counteract the work of nature.
1. The conscious production or arrangement of sounds, colors, forms, movements, or other elements in a manner that affects the sense of beauty, specifically the production of the beautiful in a graphic or plastic medium.
2. The study of these activities.
3. The product of these activities; human works of beauty considered as a group.

Many people see it as a way of expression of oneself, ideas or cherry tomatoes. But there are professional artists who make money off of this. So I was discussing today with a friend about how people exploit events such as 911 in artistic ways. And that made me think about all arts and how they get payed to express events, people and feelings. So my question I guess is: Is it wrong to get payed for making art? Is art exploitation? Is this wrong? If it is wrong, is that why people are so attracted to it?

Also, contribute what you believe art is.

[Lobstrosity]

art is an expression of the artist's ideas and feelings of the subject, if any. Good art is anyway. Some art is nothing more than a pretty picture, sold for profit.

Exploitation of events for profit, eh? Some art is. A picture of 9/11 attacks like you said would be an example of this. But there's nothing wrong with that, as long as someone wants to pay for it.

[xXMidori-ToraXx]

But still, if everyone jumps on the bandwagon of "expressing" events and selling it, isn't that bad? Doesn't that belittle the actual event? If some people see a terrible event as a good way to make profit because they see other people making money off of it, isn't that bad?

[Lobstrosity]

No, that doesn't hurt anyone, so it's not bad. Even if people forget all about the terrible event and remember it for the money they made, that's not hurting anyone. What's wrong with that?

[xXMidori-ToraXx]

It just seems wrong to make money off of other peoples pain. But I spose it will go on no matter what anyway.

[chica]

but there is a difference of exploiting someone's pain and the art of expressing their pain so much that you can almost feel it, empathy I guess and if that makes someone money then it's good, it depends on what kind of art form it is put into

[KiddoFreak]

People like money more than people. Simple as that. We're a capitolist society, we don't care about other people -- we care about making money. Exploitation is Capitolism's middle name (strangley, I think it's last name is "Marx"...). It's all due to this stupid thing we call "freedom", people can do almost anything they want and exploit whomever they would like to to make a buck or two. I don't think it's wrong at all, actually. It's just the way we are. What's wrong with jumping on a bandwagon if we like the people on it?

[Vash]

Art is different depending on who's looking at it. To some it can be good, to others it can be bad.
To some, the american dream and success is just to make as much money as you can, any way you can.
Thus, the art itself would be nuetral, good or bad, depending on who's looking at it. It would be the person who created said art who could be bad. But that depends on their reasons for creating said art, if it was mearly to make some money, then in my opinion, it was wrong.

[Lobstrosity]

Why is that wrong?

[Vash]

Cause your life shouldn't revolve around making money or trying to be powerful and stuff like that.

[Lobstrosity]

But those are good things

[Vash]

It's good to do something you love, and in the end manage to make money off of it. (I think that last sentance was worded bad, but I think you get the point...). But it's not good to do something you probably don't care for just so you can get rich quick. If that's the case do you really have a real purpose to live other than to make money?

[Lobstrosity]

That money can buy things that can make you happy. Money can buy a lot of things.

[Azan]

vash said:

It's good to do something you love

And what if that just so happens to be making art about terrible things? And if we all did what we loved America wouldnt be what it is today, capitalism is build on greed, lets say one guy buys a new car, his neighbor sees the cool car and wants his own, so he tries hard to get the money to get one.

Basically what this all comes down to is that this is what fuels our economy, its not what you love to do as just about everyone who works doesnt work becuase they "love" what they do, most hate what they do for a living, but they are doing their part.

Dont forget the person who sold that art and got rich off of it is going to buy things from other people even fueling our economy further.

[Vash]

Yeah, and you shouldn't be living your life based on greed. How is that a good life? Just because you're making the economy better, does that mean you're truely happy?