Something that I have personally been continuously critical of in our life is the commercialization of artistic expression and how it has been made into a career. While we consider food and shelter to be essential components of our life, so must artistic expression be in order to lessen the burden on our shoulders. An essential part of culture is any part of the world is the creation of art, music, and literature. Its contribution to the eruption of political struggle cannot be overstated.
Popular culture and art is merely a lens into the forward thinking members of a society, and its impact on the general public in times of social turmoil is extremely important. Take for example modern American rap music. Many times, through the medium of music, the struggles of young African-Americans can be heard, and the frustrations in a society that was founded on racist prinicples and its impacts on the modern day. In the general publics hearing of these ideas, one might begin to consider the possibility of experiences outside of their own, and as a result, gain empathy for those who are struggling on join them in their fight.
In my own experience, it was not until I truly tried to understand some of the lyrics of some of my favorite artists was I able to appreciate the frustration behind their art, and educate myself more on the atrocities commited by America’s police force and the racist institutions America is founded on. This includes the America’s racist freeways, how the land is structure to keep property prices low, etc.
I had a similar experience with my Chinese relatives around the time of the Cultural Revolution. Though looking back on it, it was a terrible experience, the propoganda distributed by the Chinese Communist Party truly made the people believe that they were doing what was best for their country. I have read diary entries from my relatives at the time who saw the propoganda movies, music, and literature, and conscripted in the volunteer army because they truly believe in what they were fighting for.
Therefore, of course music, art, literature, and artistic expression would have an impact on the creation of political struggle because that is the foundation on which the general publics opinions are built. Nevertheless, it could be used as against the people, as we see through the propoganda distributed by fascist regimes.
