Life Experiences and Arts

¶ … Art of Being Human

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Why study Arts and Humanities? Benefits of the Arts and Humanities

I believe the study of humanities and arts is vital to offsetting usefulness and the more idealistic issues pertaining to quality of life (QOL). Hence, I wish to emphasize the "does-ness" as well as "is-ness" of this discipline, which actually represents a kind of Horatian appreciation and teaching doctrine. On the usefulness side (i.e., does-ness), I would emphasize the importance of acquiring critical and independent thinking skills, reading astutely and powerfully, talking eloquently, and writing accurately and logically. On the is-ness or QOL side, my emphasis would be on the fact that arts take one into the world of imagination conceived by diverse minds, allowing us to comprehend the way others lead their lives. A man is defined by the literature he reads, the performances he attends, and the places he visits. These elements are just as much a part of him, of his is-ness or memories, as his life experiences and cultures.

Besides the "pleasure for pleasure's sake" derived out of entering into the minds and worlds of fellow human beings through art, this activity provides one with a broader context to mull over how one must live as well as face and comprehend current and past personal problems (Schwarz, 2013).

Apollonian and Dionysian

While one can easily perceive Dionysian and Apollonian personalities as being different, I believe these are nothing but opposite sides of a coin, mainly due to the reason that, under most circumstances, one follows the other for the effective accomplishment of any given endeavor. Apollo signifies inspiration or thought. I'm a musician sitting idling at home and I'm struck with inspiration -- a melody that suddenly starts playing in my mind or the lyrics to a song that just begin flowing. This represents artistic idea. Meanwhile, Dionysus refers to the Greek God of ecstasy, signifying the 'feeling' component of humanity (Janaro & C, 2017). Therefore, as a musician, I utilize my song or Apollonian idea, which I play before an audience. This constitutes a spiritual experience for me, as the song mesmerizes listeners. Hence, Apollonian denotes the idea, whereas Dionysus denotes the impact of my idea on others.

Post 1 Reply (Erik Roberts)

In my opinion, he was forceful as well. His reply appears to be clever, spot-on and even sarcastic although the subject was definitely not amusing. Picasso employed the medium he was well-versed with to express his negative attitude towards wars -- he used paints and brushes, rather than weapons, to convey his contempt for war. He claimed the moving painting was no more than a plea to humanity to think about the massacred innocents (both humans and animals). The picture depicting the act of war was utilized for telling the world a story of the evil consequences of war as well as relating an actual story to the German military officer. The painting, however, is not specific to the 20th century Civil War in Spain; it shows us an image of all wars that have ever happened and all the wars to come (Deutsche Welle, 2007). The ability to move hearts is one among the forceful aspects of humanities and arts.

Post 1 Reply (Asantewa Holley)

I like the way you describe one of humanities' and arts' plus points as facilitating the development and narration of humanity's story. After reading your argument, the following question cropped up in my mind: Will experiencing arts help develop us into more insightful and sympathetic individuals? One may assert, with a certain degree of certainty, that viewing artistic masterpieces, reading literary masterworks, or attending great musical or dance performances (ballet, opera, etc.) broadens one's horizons with respect to how individuals behave and the cultural and historical factors influencing behavior. However, will reading, say, Leo Tolstoy's War and Peace catalyze heroic action among readers or, as urged by the author, make them put family first? I don't think so. Or will it help humanity become marginally more mindful of a need for finding purpose and meaning in life? Probably yes, in an immeasurable, nuanced way. Do teens who read classic fiction directed at their age group (e.g., A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man by Joyce, Catcher in the Rye by Salinger, or Sons and Lovers by Lawrence), derive any lessons pertaining to life, imagination's role, love, etc.? I did. I guess the ideal reply to the question of who derives maximum benefit or lessons from arts is: it is dependent on what viewers, listeners, or readers bring with them to the experience, as a symbiotic link exists between a piece of art and its audience, with all perceivers being communities of one.

Post 2

A common way to define archetypes is: archetypes are behavioral patterns. The above definition is certainly not untrue. However, describing them as mere behavioral patterns is akin to saying "computers are like typewriters." Sure, computers can generate typewritten letters; however, in the current era, computers play a major role in all aspects of life, right from knowledge distribution and communications to complex surgical equipment. Likewise, archetypal patterns impact all facets of human life -- how one looks, feels, thinks, and reacts to occurrences, one's value systems, the kind of individuals one draws into one's life, and the milestones and events in one's life.

My focus will be predominantly on the archetype of the "Hero." While heroes are invariably protagonists, protagonists do not invariably behave like heroes. Traditionally, heroes were always male, although, fortunately, modern literature has increasingly been featuring female heroes like Lisbeth Salander and Katniss Everdeen. Heroes pursue an ultimate goal, the path to which is strewn with obstacles that they need to surmount. They are generally morally good, although this innate goodness will probably be challenged on multiple occasions during the course of the tale. A hero's capability of remaining true to him/herself in the face of trials, and their role as saviors of the world and its constituent beings, is actually what makes him/her heroic (Scribendi, 2016).

Reply to post 1 (Joseph Noto)