Wars, for us, are either inevitable, or created. Whatever they are, they should not wholly vitiate art. What art needs is greater men, and what politics needs is better men.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Regardless of whether wars are inevitable or created, art should not be destroyed by them; society needs better people to improve both art and politics.
- In plain terms
- Wars should not ruin art; we need better people for art and politics.
- What can you take from it?
- Art survives war when there are better people in society.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- What does art need to survive conflict?
- Can better people prevent war?
Another view
This assumes moral improvement alone can prevent or mitigate war.
More from William Saroyan
Art and politics must move closer together. Reflection and action must be equally valid in good men if history is not to take one course and art an other.
Permalink to quote #96 Art and religion would not be able to stop the war any more than they would be able to stop tomorrow.
Permalink to quote #98 The weakness of art is that great poems do not ennoble politics, as they certainly should, and the trouble with politics is that they inspire poets only to moc…
Permalink to quote #95
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