- Sep 22, 2013
- 4,956
- 250
- 85
Can democracy-art be considered non-propaganda?
====
A knight named Alas fancied himself to be a poet/artist and philosopher and fell in love with an artistic rendering of a sea-nymph named Mara who was a democracy-muse and a defiance-statue renouncing the evils of terrorism. Alas fell in love with the idea of a grand Republic and democracy itself after staring at his artistic re-presentation of Mara. Alas decided to declare himself 'The Mara Martyr.'
Any comic book fan of patriotic war-comics would say that Alas's artistic rendition of the muse Mara was very patriotic, complete with a hostage-uniform of Cobra (the name of a terrorist organization). Alas cared about art and he cared about Mara and the proclamation of the ideals of democracy as a defiance to the evils of terrorism. Alas's imagination had yielded a valuable 'democracy figurine.' Mara had thick black hair and blue-skin. She was beautiful...
Alas then fashioned badges of courage for himself and Mara which were symbols of democracy and the defense of the grand Republic --- perhaps a quest for Utopia itself. To Alas, Mara was more magical than dangerous dragons, insidious serpents, intolerable fascists, cruel monarchs, and unmerciful terrorists. The blue-stripe badges of courage he fashioned for himself and Mara became ribbons of democracy. Was this straightforward propaganda?
An art critic wandered into a museum and noticed a man/visitor staring at the sculpture of a bald-headed woman (wood-sculpture painted) in a blue uniform. The art critic noted that the man's apparent intellectual fascination with the blue wood-sculpture female represented a modern conundrum --- can the meditation on the metaphysics of art counter the capitalism/consumerism/marketing cynicism that leads to anti-civilization terrorism?
GOD: Maybe Alas is like Narcissus...
SATAN: No, he seems to genuinely praise his Mara-art.
GOD: Is he obsessed?
SATAN: Not really; he's just 'passionate' about democracy-themed art.
GOD: Democracy-themed art usually sounds...boring.
SATAN: Well, comparable new age films are critically-praised (e.g., Citizen Kane).
GOD: Citizen Kane is a rare pro-democracy film, and it's a classic!
SATAN: We have to be sure that democracy-art is not propaganda.
GOD: Why?
SATAN: Because democracy is the final bastion of liberty (and free-speech).
GOD: Well, Alas's Mara-art is nothing offensive, in my opinion...
SATAN: No, I agree; however, terrorists might think it's 'capitalism propaganda.'
GOD: If anything, Alas's Mara-art is a renunciation of the 'indulgences' of civilization.
SATAN: Are you a fan of Angels & Demons (Tom Hanks)?
GOD: I do enjoy those clever/intricate Dan Brown adapted Tom Hanks Catholicism films.
SATAN: Be wary of the Red Dragon who entices our frailties regarding the 'allure' of ego.
====
====
A knight named Alas fancied himself to be a poet/artist and philosopher and fell in love with an artistic rendering of a sea-nymph named Mara who was a democracy-muse and a defiance-statue renouncing the evils of terrorism. Alas fell in love with the idea of a grand Republic and democracy itself after staring at his artistic re-presentation of Mara. Alas decided to declare himself 'The Mara Martyr.'
Any comic book fan of patriotic war-comics would say that Alas's artistic rendition of the muse Mara was very patriotic, complete with a hostage-uniform of Cobra (the name of a terrorist organization). Alas cared about art and he cared about Mara and the proclamation of the ideals of democracy as a defiance to the evils of terrorism. Alas's imagination had yielded a valuable 'democracy figurine.' Mara had thick black hair and blue-skin. She was beautiful...
Alas then fashioned badges of courage for himself and Mara which were symbols of democracy and the defense of the grand Republic --- perhaps a quest for Utopia itself. To Alas, Mara was more magical than dangerous dragons, insidious serpents, intolerable fascists, cruel monarchs, and unmerciful terrorists. The blue-stripe badges of courage he fashioned for himself and Mara became ribbons of democracy. Was this straightforward propaganda?
An art critic wandered into a museum and noticed a man/visitor staring at the sculpture of a bald-headed woman (wood-sculpture painted) in a blue uniform. The art critic noted that the man's apparent intellectual fascination with the blue wood-sculpture female represented a modern conundrum --- can the meditation on the metaphysics of art counter the capitalism/consumerism/marketing cynicism that leads to anti-civilization terrorism?
GOD: Maybe Alas is like Narcissus...
SATAN: No, he seems to genuinely praise his Mara-art.
GOD: Is he obsessed?
SATAN: Not really; he's just 'passionate' about democracy-themed art.
GOD: Democracy-themed art usually sounds...boring.
SATAN: Well, comparable new age films are critically-praised (e.g., Citizen Kane).
GOD: Citizen Kane is a rare pro-democracy film, and it's a classic!
SATAN: We have to be sure that democracy-art is not propaganda.
GOD: Why?
SATAN: Because democracy is the final bastion of liberty (and free-speech).
GOD: Well, Alas's Mara-art is nothing offensive, in my opinion...
SATAN: No, I agree; however, terrorists might think it's 'capitalism propaganda.'
GOD: If anything, Alas's Mara-art is a renunciation of the 'indulgences' of civilization.
SATAN: Are you a fan of Angels & Demons (Tom Hanks)?
GOD: I do enjoy those clever/intricate Dan Brown adapted Tom Hanks Catholicism films.
SATAN: Be wary of the Red Dragon who entices our frailties regarding the 'allure' of ego.
====
