political creatives: an obvious connection or not?
Here I must mention that I grew up in a society with the tradition of artists being at the forefront of political fights and revolutions (also see the recently deceased Václav Havel), and was rather taken aback at Western (and above all American) notions of artists as mere entertainers.
From here.
The Hungary shitstorm aside (in sum: Viktor Orbán, Hungary's Prime Minister, has been playing fast and loose with the country's laws in order to 1) give himself and his party more power and 2) reshape the country into what he wants of it, including things like adding media and religion laws and rewriting the constitution), this quote. This quote reveals very nicely another thing that I never noticed until now.
In Hungary certainly, and in China to a degree, creativity is tied to politics. When you say something creatively, whether in poetry, essays, art, videos, anything, you'd better scan it carefully an be able to stand by anything it Says, because you are going to be held directly responsible for any Messages in it. (Says and Messages are in caps because I'm not talking bit-by-bit plot, I'm talking IRL/political/etc allegory.) You'd better be damn sure that either 1) you're being safe and inoffensive, or 2) you're willing to stand for and fully defend what you Say, because you need to Say it.
Does America not have this? Or maybe not to such an extent? Or maybe more recently? Because it's true, there's an overwhelming notion of artists-as-entertainer nowadays in the States, whereas I can think of so many Hungarian poets and prosists that were revolutionaries. (Hell, it's practically a national characteristic!) And China: yeah. Certainly creative works were used under certain dynasties to say certain things - hell, even in 三国演义 I'm finding traces of this - and definitely in the last half-century being creative invites .... inspection, to say the least. (Hell, check out a controversial new animation from last year, and all the political issues it brings in.)
Anyway, my point, as a curiosity for you guys:
1) what do you think of artists/creatives also being inherently political?
2) is it like that where you live, or in the societies you've studied?
3) anything else about it?
Pico is genuinely curious and interested here.
From here.
The Hungary shitstorm aside (in sum: Viktor Orbán, Hungary's Prime Minister, has been playing fast and loose with the country's laws in order to 1) give himself and his party more power and 2) reshape the country into what he wants of it, including things like adding media and religion laws and rewriting the constitution), this quote. This quote reveals very nicely another thing that I never noticed until now.
In Hungary certainly, and in China to a degree, creativity is tied to politics. When you say something creatively, whether in poetry, essays, art, videos, anything, you'd better scan it carefully an be able to stand by anything it Says, because you are going to be held directly responsible for any Messages in it. (Says and Messages are in caps because I'm not talking bit-by-bit plot, I'm talking IRL/political/etc allegory.) You'd better be damn sure that either 1) you're being safe and inoffensive, or 2) you're willing to stand for and fully defend what you Say, because you need to Say it.
Does America not have this? Or maybe not to such an extent? Or maybe more recently? Because it's true, there's an overwhelming notion of artists-as-entertainer nowadays in the States, whereas I can think of so many Hungarian poets and prosists that were revolutionaries. (Hell, it's practically a national characteristic!) And China: yeah. Certainly creative works were used under certain dynasties to say certain things - hell, even in 三国演义 I'm finding traces of this - and definitely in the last half-century being creative invites .... inspection, to say the least. (Hell, check out a controversial new animation from last year, and all the political issues it brings in.)
Anyway, my point, as a curiosity for you guys:
1) what do you think of artists/creatives also being inherently political?
2) is it like that where you live, or in the societies you've studied?
3) anything else about it?
Pico is genuinely curious and interested here.