Destruction of Beauty and the Fall of Museums
Why the “woke” gangs idolize ugliness and beyond
One of the reasons I advocate for aesthetics is because they’re under siege. This hidden war needs a spotlight. Artistic endeavors are often overlooked and underfunded. Contemporary society, as a whole, has insufficient appreciation for the arts. It’s treated as optional or a mere product to be consumed.
Except: aesthetics are essential for the well-being of society. They drive and represent our collective cultures. Historical legacies, spiritual inspiration, and mental health are all tied into the arts.
And here’s the big problem:
When there’s power to be had, groups will seek to control that power.
In the West, this is the “woke” crowd, usually far-left extremists. I’d like to avoid all discussion of politics. Unfortunately, it can’t be avoided here. Politics and art are closely linked in this case.
This is the current generation driving institutional change:
It’s a long-running joke that art schools are full of people like this. It’s an easy stereotype: nihilistic pot-smoking Atheist Marxists with healing crystals and baggy sweatshirts.
A far cry from the Renaissance masters.
I have to single out the far left here, because the far right isn’t doing the same thing. Despite the left’s calls of “fascism,” they’re playing different games. And anyone who’s more moderate - hasn't heard what's happening.
The woke look for “progress” at all costs, which includes erasing and rewriting history. We see this time and time again. They have no respect for the magnificent works of the past. They’d prefer to inject their own politics into cultural institutions. Museums aren’t immune to ESG and DEI efforts. As the woke infiltrate and take over, they dig their claws further into our culture.
[This photo was posted by the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago. You can find similar “I-beam art” all over the world. Let’s face it - this is stupid, and isn’t “art” in any sense of the word.]
They want total conformity to their ever-changing ideals, and erasure of anything perceived as good. They can't envision a world with opposing ideals or traditions. Victory at all costs. There's a strange lust to destroy, deconstruct, and pervert historical norms. We march toward blank slates at best.
Post-modernism is almost like a religion to certain groups of progressives. They idolize ugliness and "subverting norms." The bizarre push to remove beauty from everyday life is deliberately demoralizing. Soulless and empty, just like them. Seeking to create a new culture from the ashes of the old world - except the world isn't dead, so the Woke crowd is pushing along the process of dispatching the old guard.
I once heard someone call those types of people "vampires." It's fitting. The most vocal woke-ists are angry little vampires sucking the life and joy out of everything, leaving rotting corpses behind. They can't stand the sight of vitality, natural law, beauty, and strength.
Not only does beauty remind them of their inadequacies, it goes against far-left ideals. Extremists seek to elevate ugliness, and degrade beauty, because it creates a “level playing field.” This is, of course, totally insane. Inequality is an inescapable part of the universe. The concept of “over-equality” has been endlessly mocked, and for good reason.
One of the best examples is Kurt Vonnegut’s short story "Harrison Bergeron.” It can be read in a few minutes and easily gets the point across.
Also see: Tall poppy syndrome. “a cultural phenomenon in which people hold back, criticise, or sabotage those who have or are believed to have achieved notable success in one or more aspects of life… a draw towards mediocrity and conformity.”
“Equal opportunity, unequal results” is garlic to these vampires. Their motto is “unequal opportunity, equal results.”
Wokeness is anti-art because they believe in ideas over aesthetics. To them, a beautiful painting is garbage if it doesn’t have “the right message” and isn’t “inclusive” enough.
Yet, what does it mean to be an artist?
Art is one of the greatest examples of “equal opportunity, unequal results.” Almost anything can be art. All one has to do is devote themselves to their craft. Sculpture, painting, watercolors, drawing, pottery, etc. Anyone can make something beautiful if they really try. Even rock art. Just takes materials and practice.
Example: Jon Foreman’s “Sculpt the World” project.
Even “failures” can still be art. There’s a sort of beauty to something which aimed high and missed. The important thing is to try to make something beautiful.
Art should be about freedom and independent thought. Creative expression through aesthetics. Revealing the truth about the world in a way that can reach many people. Devoting oneself to higher ideals and rising above the noise. Showing the glory of the world, and inspiring others to be the best they can be. Ignore overly polished appearances, fake nostalgia which capitalizes off fond memories with warped translations of the past, etc.
Art captures perfect moments in time and details people might've otherwise missed. Morning dew on a spiderweb. A bride's tears of joy as the groom reads out his wedding vows. Sunset paintings fire across the skyline with clouds silhouetted by mountain peaks. A baby's first step. All these things and more; art shows us what life IS and COULD BE. Live with nature instead of against it. Truth and beauty in everyday life or extraordinary circumstances.
We have to make the most of the lives we live. Our souls need art for fulfillment, to know who we are and where we came from, for transcendence, and more. We can’t leave the future of art to those who are undermining it.
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