satanscharmer
Posts: 376
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Now that I have some more time... You thought the fun question was how the government should play a role in it, I disagreed (lighthearted humor). You can also extend it to (under my all) the government playing a role in the arts - but in terms of what this discussion has been about thus far - in deciding what art is acceptable or not acceptable. Art is meant to enrich and entertain lives. It can be fun, even. Unless the art is breaking a law, the government should not step in. Otherwise they would, quite possibly, take some of the fun out of art. As for supporting the arts... I believe that the arts play an important role. I believe that it helps improve children's learning and can be therapeutic for both children and adults (the adult coloring books have taken off). There have been some studies done to determine if art education plays a role in intelligence and some insist there is a link to improved social skills, attention span and retention. http://www.onlinecolleges.net/10-salient-studies-on-the-arts-in-education/ So, should the government support the arts? Well, in my opinion yes and no. Yes, I believe they should support the arts in terms of educational and historical settings (schools and museums). I want to live in a country where intelligence is prevalent and if art helps increase that chance then great. In terms of supporting artists and their career choice, I'm very iffy on that and lean towards 'no'. Now, one may say that if the government is supporting the arts financially then they should have a say in what is acceptable or not acceptable. Again, I believe they should only step in if it's breaking a law. It's up to the people to decide whether or not they want to see, watch, listen or read something. Don't agree with a theater production, don't go to one. Don't like sexually suggestive art, don't go to the exhibit. Don't like a book, don't pick it up and read it. But what about things in public view... I remember while living in Kansas, there was a statue in a park that caused some controversy: http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/american-family-association-sexting-statue_n_4038724.html Personally, I liked it and thought it could bring up a good conversation with my children had we walked by it. It's art, meant to spark some thought. Some others disagreed and thought it too sexual in nature and not appropriate for minors. They argued that it broke the obscenity law. If that were true, the government should step in. However, I do not agree that it broke a law since I do not see it falling under "taken as a whole, a reasonable person would find that the material or performance lacks serious literary, educational, artistic, political or scientific value". They still have the option to not go to the park. If someone wants to keep their child in a bubble, that's best done at home.
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