I’ve always been of the opinion that it’s not every work of art is meant to strike a chord deep within us, making us look inward and start questioning all the decisions we’ve been making throughout our lives. Some are simply meant to be enjoyed for what they are; entertainment.
There are movies that when you watch them, they impact some much-needed lessons into your life. The characters resonate with you and you can understand the decisions they get to make. However, that will not always be the case. Some movies are made simply for the fun of it.
People like me enjoy watching action movies because I love watching stuff blow up. I love watching people shoot the hell out of each other, raising it to the highest volume so my house is trembling from the staccato of gunfire. Such movies will always be fun for me, and if they promise good action, you can bet that I will watch them, whether it boasts of having a message or not.
Does this mean I don’t watch other kind of movies? I definitely do. There are times when I find myself in need of movies that will cause me to sit back and really soak in the story. Movies that make me think as I try to piece a number of things together. Psychological thrillers are good for this. It’s all good though, because sometimes, you watch action movies that will surprisingly not be all about the guns and bombs, but will really have a deeper message.
The same can be said about music. Not every song that is released is meant to make you change your personality and want to become a changed person. Some songs exist simply to make you dance and feel alright. I’m not saying that this gives the artists license to sing rubbish, instead, it gives them the freedom to do whatever works for them. There are artists who sing soulful songs, and there are those who will only ever sing club bangers.
I can go on and on about all the ways art can hold meaning for us. Even in books, novels are also expected to have some sort of message for the reader. The reader is expected to feel better when all is said and done, or at the very least, the reader is expected to have learned something major. So, is this good? Yeah. But can every writer achieve this? Sadly, no.
Some romance books will only simply offer that; romance. Thrillers and suspense will only offer that and nothing else. But then, one way to make sure that people leave your art with the feeling of learning something is by making your characters relatable. If they’re relatable, then your readers can easily place themselves in their shoes and understand the reasons behind some of the dumb decisions they get to make. That way, the characters might become a yardstick, showing the readers what could happen if they too were in such a position.
The truth is, it all depends on the creator. Does the person want to pass a message? Or do they simply want to make money? The answer to this question will determine just how deep the art would be and if it would speak to anyone.
So, for me, it’s not that important. There is a time and season for everything. There’s time to gain wisdom and knowledge, and there is time to just let loose and enjoy the music. Life isn’t hard at all.
