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1、TEXT4 Manythingsmakepeoplethinkartistsareweird.Buttheweirdestmaybethis:artistsonlyjobistoexploreemotions,andyettheychoosetofocusontheonesthatfeelbad. Thiswasn’talwaysso.Theearliestformsofart,likepaintingandmusic,arethosebestsuitedforexpressingjoy.Butsomewhereinthe19thcentu
2、ryonward,moreartistsbeganseeinghappinessasmeaningless,phonyor,worstofall,boring,aswewentfromWordsworth’sdaffodilstoBaudelaire’sflowersofevil. Youcouldarguethatartbecamemoreskepticalofhappinessbecausemoderntimeshaveseensomuchmisery.Butit’snotasifearliertimesdidn’tknowperpetu
3、alwar,disasterandthemassacreofinnocents.Thereason,infact,maybejusttheopposite:thereistoomuchdamnhappinessintheworldtoday. Afterall,whatistheonemodernformofexpressionalmostcompletelydedicatedtodepictinghappiness?Advertising.Theriseofantihappyartalmostexactlytrackstheemergenc
4、eofmassmedia,andwithit,acommercialcultureinwhichhappinessisnotjustanidealbutanideology. Peopleinearliererasweresurroundedbyremindersofmisery.Theyworkeduntilexhausted,livedwithfewprotectionsanddiedyoung.IntheWest,beforemasscommunicationandliteracy,themostpowerfulmassmediumwa
5、sthechurch,whichremindedworshippersthattheirsoulswereindangerandthattheywouldsomedaybemeatforworms.Givenallthis,theydidnotexactlyneedtheirarttobeabummertoo. TodaythemessagestheaverageWesternerissurroundedwitharenotreligiousbutcommercial,andforeverhappy.Fastfoodeaters,newsan
6、chors,textmessengers,allsmiling,smiling,smiling.Ourmagazinesfeaturebeamingcelebritiesandhappyfamiliesinperfecthomes.Andsincethesemessageshaveanagenda-tolureustoopenourwallets-theymaketheveryideaofhappinessseemunreliable."Celebrate!"commandedtheadsforthearthritisdrugCele,befo
7、rewefoundoutitcouldincreasetheriskofheartattacks. Whatweforget-whatoureconomydependsonusforgetting-isthathappinessismorethanpleasurewithoutpain.Thethingsthatbringthegreatestjoycarrythegreatestpotentialforlossanddisappointment.Today,surroundedbypromisesofeasyhappiness,weneed
8、arttotellus,asreligiononcedid,Mementomori:rememberthatyouwilldie,thateveryt
