How Art Can Change Society, with Sarah Lewis | Big Think

00:02:30
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fSmAsbbzcB0

Sintesi

TLDRIn this video, the speaker highlights the transformative power of the arts in driving social movements and influencing societal change. Citing examples from history, such as Frederick Douglass's speech on the impact of images in shaping visions of justice and the environmental movement catalyzed by the 'earth rise' photograph, the narrative explores how significant aesthetic experiences can lead to profound shifts in thought and action. The speaker reinforces the idea that the arts are not merely a luxury, but a crucial force that underpins impactful changes in society.

Punti di forza

  • 🎨 The arts can transform perceptions and inspire social movements.
  • 🖼️ Frederick Douglass believed in the power of images to shift societal views.
  • 🌍 The 'earth rise' image was crucial for the environmental movement.
  • 🎺 Louis Armstrong's performance catalyzed thought on segregation.
  • ⚖️ Aesthetic experiences can influence legal and social justice.
  • 💪 The arts are more than luxury; they're forces for change.

Linea temporale

  • 00:00:00 - 00:02:30

    The speaker expresses a deep appreciation for the arts and its transformative power, referencing Frederick Douglass's belief that visual images can significantly alter perceptions and catalyze social change. Douglass's speech, initially titled 'Pictures and Progress,' emphasizes that the emotional impact of art can resonate more deeply than rational arguments alone. The speaker illustrates this with historical examples like the environmental movement, sparked by the iconic 'Earthrise' image from Apollo VIII, and Charles Black's epiphany during a Louis Armstrong performance that challenged racial segregation. The arts are framed not merely as an escape but as a crucial force driving social justice and major movements throughout history.

Mappa mentale

Video Domande e Risposte

  • What role do the arts play in social change?

    The arts serve as a powerful catalyst for social change by reshaping perceptions and inspiring action.

  • Who is Frederick Douglass and what was his view on images?

    Frederick Douglass was an abolitionist who believed that images and thought pictures could influence people's views and bring about progress.

  • What is 'earth rise' image and its significance?

    The 'earth rise' image taken during Apollo VIII was pivotal in awakening the environmental movement.

  • How did Louis Armstrong influence social justice?

    Louis Armstrong's performance inspired constitutional lawyer Charles Black to rethink segregation after recognizing the genius in Armstrong's artistry.

  • What is the significance of the arts beyond entertainment?

    The arts are seen as a galvanizing force that contributes to meaningful societal changes.

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Scorrimento automatico:
  • 00:00:00
    One of the reasons that I love writing about the arts, you know, curating work is not even
  • 00:00:07
    so much that you're able to honor one person's expression and pay tribute to that. But because
  • 00:00:14
    of how much it can shift things in us, you know. Frederick Douglas during the Civil War
  • 00:00:22
    surprised his audience when he spoke about this idea, you know. His idea was that it
  • 00:00:26
    wouldn't be combat that would get America to have a new vision of itself but pictures,
  • 00:00:31
    right. Pictures, he said. And the thought pictures that they create in the mind are
  • 00:00:37
    the way that we can kind of slip in the back door by rational thought and see the world
  • 00:00:42
    differently. I love that. His speech was called Pictures and Progress and then he retitled
  • 00:00:48
    it Life Pictures.
  • 00:00:49
    And as I came across his speech I thought this is why I do what I do, you know. How
  • 00:00:55
    many movements have begun in the world when one person's work, one song, one impactful
  • 00:01:03
    aesthetic experience shifted things entirely for a leader, for a group of people, you know.
  • 00:01:09
    The environmental movement really catalyzed and began when we saw that earth rise image,
  • 00:01:15
    you know, taken from the Apollo VIII. And we saw that our world was in an environment
  • 00:01:21
    that we needed to honor. Or think about the way that Brown versus the Board of Education
  • 00:01:27
    would not have had Charles Black there, that constitutional lawyer if he hadn't seen Louis
  • 00:01:33
    Armstrong perform that night in 1931 in Austin, Texas. And in that moment say to himself well
  • 00:01:40
    there is genius coming out of this man's horn. And if there's genius in this black man then
  • 00:01:47
    segregation must be wrong.
  • 00:01:50
    And to know in that moment that he was walking towards justice as he put it when he describes
  • 00:01:55
    what got him to be on the Brown versus Board of Education case, you know. There's so many
  • 00:02:01
    examples where really aesthetic force more than rational argument alone has been what
  • 00:02:07
    has shifted and turned the tide, you know, in the face of massive injustice. So I think
  • 00:02:13
    of the arts as far more than just a respite from life, a kind of a luxury. I see it as
  • 00:02:17
    a galvanic force really that undergirds some of our most impactful changes and movements
  • 00:02:23
    in this country and in this world.
Tag
  • arts
  • social change
  • Frederick Douglass
  • aesthetic experience
  • environmental movement
  • Brown v. Board of Education
  • justice
  • catalyst
  • imagery
  • cultural influence