Text 4 Many things make people think artists are weird and the weirdest may be this: arti

Text4

Manythingsmakepeoplethinkartistsareweirdandtheweirdestmaybethis:artists’onlyjobistoexploreemotions,andyettheychoosetofocusontheonesthatfeelbad.

Thiswasn’talwaysso.Theearliestformsofart,likepaintingandmusic,arethosebestsuitedforexpressingjoy.Butsomewhereinthe19thcentury,moreartistsbeganseeinghappinessasinsipid,phonyor,worstofall,boringaswewentfromWordsworth’sdaffodilstoBaudelaire’sflowersofevil.

Youcouldarguethatartbecamemoreskepticalofhappinessbecausemoderntimeshaveseensuchmisery.Butit’snotasifearliertimesdidn’tknowperpetualwar,disasterandthemassacreofinnocents.Thereason,infact,maybejusttheopposite:thereistoomuchdamnhappinessintheworldtoday.

Afterall,whatistheonemodernform.ofexpressionalmostcompletelydedicatedtodepictinghappiness?Advertising.Theriseofanti-happyartalmostexactlytr ackstheemergenceofmassmedia,andwithit,acommercialcultureinwhichhappinessisnotjustanidealbutanideology.

Peopleinearliererasweresurroundedbyremindersofmisery.Theyworkeduntilexhausted,livedwithfewprotectionsanddiedyoung.IntheWest,beforemasscommunicationandliteracy,themostpowerfulmassmediumwasthechurch,whichremindedworshippersthattheirsoulswereinperilandthattheywouldsomedaybemeatforworms.Givenallthis,theydidnotexactlyneedtheirarttobeabummertoo.

TodaythemessagestheaverageWesternerissurroundedwitharenotr eligiousbutcommercial,andforeverhappy.Fast-foodeaters,newsanchors,textmessengers,allsmiling,smiling,smiling.Ourmagazinesfeaturebeamingcelebritiesandhappyfamiliesinperfecthomes.Andsincethesemessageshaveanagenda--tolureustoopenourwallets--theymaketheveryideaofhappinessseemunreliable.“Celebrate!”commandedtheadsforthearthritisdrugCelebrex,beforewefoundoutitcouldincreasetheriskofheartattacks.

Butwhatweforget--whatoureconomydependsonusforgetting--isthathappinessismorethanpleasurewithoutpain.Thethingsthatbringthegreatestjoycarrythegreatestpotentialforlossanddisappointment.Today,surroundedbypromisesofeasyhappiness,weneedsomeonetotellusasreligiononcedid,Mementomori:rememberthatyouwilldie,thateverythingends,andthathappinesscomesnotindenyingthisbutinlivingwithit.It’samessageevenmorebitterthanaclovecigarette,yet,somehow,abreathoffreshair.

36.BycitingtheexampleofpoetsWordsworthandBaudelaire,theauthorintendstoshowthat________.

[A]poetr yisnotasexpressiveofjoyaspaintingormusic

[B]artgrowoutofbothpositiveandnegativefeeling

[C]poetstodayarelessskepticalofhappiness

[D]artistshavechangedtheirfocusofinterest