In Is Art a Waste of Time? by Rhys Southan, the argument that different art forms can be used to help those who suffer was extremely powerful to me. In the beginning of this passage Southan mentions a retreat he was going on with a few friends, who are effective altruists. There, Southan starts to feel as if his work may not be as helpful to others as his friends believe everyone’s should be. Southan states “the idea that someone’s book, film, painting, or dance could be their way to reduce the world’s suffering struck Hilton as bizzare, almost to the point of incoherence.” I could relate to the feelings of Southan because I have also had moments where others did not agree with my ideas.
Southan also mentioned radical altruism “which suggests a baseline donation of 10 percent of your income to effective charities.” He says that “EA comes down to: working hard to earn money and then giving as much of it as you can to the needy.” I was shocked when reading these statements because of how harsh they were. These statements reminded me of how my mother, a owner of two dance studios in NY, offers a free dance class once a week for transgender male and females from the LGTBQ community in our area. This class gives people the opportunity to express themselves and have fun through learning an art.
Most people can not afford to give ten percent of their earnings to charities every year and my mother is a good example of how the arts can give back to those who suffer. When we give back to our communities through visual arts, filmmaking, books, or any other art form, we are allowing people to gain knowledge and happiness which can be equal to the donation of money.
