Recently, I was reading about the history of 20th-century music and the influence of artists like Bob Dylan, the Beatles, and Black Sabbath on musical, cultural, political, and social trends.
Dylan was perhaps at the vanguard of the above list when it came to music that tackled the civil rights movement. Multiple songs he wrote, most notably The Times They Are A-Changin', would become anthems of social justice activism for many years to come. The Beatles, meanwhile, helped to transform British pop culture in more than one way. Black Sabbath opposed war in an outspoken, vivid manner that, again, would have musical and social echoes for many years after.
Contrast this with today's trends, where movies, music, and other forms of art and entertainment that carry elaborate sociopolitical messages are demonized and denigrated by many ardent critics for being "woke," "propaganda," "pandering," or any other negatively charged label. It should be clear to most who listen to some of the above artists' work that they did have clear sociopolitical causes, took sides in multiple cultural and political disputes, and pushed for change where they thought it necessary. They were far from being fence-sitters or apolitical figures; they actively influenced and helped to shape the culture around them.
When did this trend of denigrating sociopolitical motifs and awareness-raising efforts within art and entertainment originate? When did a subset of society transition from their predecessors' admiration of Citizen Kane and To Kill a Mockingbird to expressing outrage over so-called "woke agenda," anti-racist activism, and political stories?
It seems to me that said denigration is, more often than not, a tool enabling intellectual and moral stagnation in society. Some of the voices that most loudly proclaim support for "dialogue" in society and politics are at the forefront of demonizing and mocking specific messages without the slightest attempt to discuss them elaborately. This is not dialogue; it's partisan outrage.
As far as I can see, we don't progress our understanding of the ever-changing sociopolitical landscape by demanding that all of our movies, music, and games be cleansed of strongly sympathetic messaging or explicit political commentary. After all, Bob Dylan's songs in support of the civil rights movement didn't claim to tread a middle ground between "both sides," nor did Black Sabbath meekly protest the Vietnam War. They screamed their protest at the top of their lungs and mixed it with heavy-metal instrumentals for good measure.
Dylan was perhaps at the vanguard of the above list when it came to music that tackled the civil rights movement. Multiple songs he wrote, most notably The Times They Are A-Changin', would become anthems of social justice activism for many years to come. The Beatles, meanwhile, helped to transform British pop culture in more than one way. Black Sabbath opposed war in an outspoken, vivid manner that, again, would have musical and social echoes for many years after.
Contrast this with today's trends, where movies, music, and other forms of art and entertainment that carry elaborate sociopolitical messages are demonized and denigrated by many ardent critics for being "woke," "propaganda," "pandering," or any other negatively charged label. It should be clear to most who listen to some of the above artists' work that they did have clear sociopolitical causes, took sides in multiple cultural and political disputes, and pushed for change where they thought it necessary. They were far from being fence-sitters or apolitical figures; they actively influenced and helped to shape the culture around them.
When did this trend of denigrating sociopolitical motifs and awareness-raising efforts within art and entertainment originate? When did a subset of society transition from their predecessors' admiration of Citizen Kane and To Kill a Mockingbird to expressing outrage over so-called "woke agenda," anti-racist activism, and political stories?
It seems to me that said denigration is, more often than not, a tool enabling intellectual and moral stagnation in society. Some of the voices that most loudly proclaim support for "dialogue" in society and politics are at the forefront of demonizing and mocking specific messages without the slightest attempt to discuss them elaborately. This is not dialogue; it's partisan outrage.
As far as I can see, we don't progress our understanding of the ever-changing sociopolitical landscape by demanding that all of our movies, music, and games be cleansed of strongly sympathetic messaging or explicit political commentary. After all, Bob Dylan's songs in support of the civil rights movement didn't claim to tread a middle ground between "both sides," nor did Black Sabbath meekly protest the Vietnam War. They screamed their protest at the top of their lungs and mixed it with heavy-metal instrumentals for good measure.
