Now the Day's Losing Light
There are two reasons that someone chooses to engage with a piece of art be it literature, music, painting, film, or any other form. The first is that the viewer has a personal interest or attraction to what they believe the art will impart to them. Heartbroken adolescents listen to Olivia Rodrigo's new record to hear someone empathize with their experience (GUTS is great). Americans go see Oppenheimer to learn about and reflect on a critical event in their country's history. I read Camus and Dante for the wisdom they deliver. People know their emotional and intellectual interests and actively seek out art that speaks directly to those interests. Artists take advantage of this to adequately craft their art such that it attracts a large group of people. I'm not here to argue this is bad. In fact I think it's great. Genuinely connecting people will always be one of art's gifts to humanity. The other reason that an individual chooses to engage with a piece of art is t
