Art as enhancing the Quality of Human Life

The arts do not significantly enhance the quality of human life.
Describe a specific situation in which the arts might significantly enhance the quality of human life. Discuss what you think determines whether or not the arts significantly enhance the quality of human life.
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The creation of art is possibly unique to human kind. Art has been primarily a vehicle of self expression and interpretation of the world through a certain lens. Some art has also been said to exist for no particular reason at all---it just IS. Indeed, art cannot be whittled down to a single purpose in the presence of human kind. It is not a basic need on par with water, food and shelter; however, it can serve to enhance the quality of human life by adding deeper meaning and experiences in living.

Art cannot significantly enhance the quality of human life when a human is struggling to survive. For example, if a man learns he will be indefinitely stuck in a deserted island, what would he wish to bring with him? He will want food, a filter to purify water, materials to build shelter, etc. The stranded man will not be thinking about surrounding himself with beautiful pieces of art. He will not be composing sonnets or choreographing a jazz number. Humans are born with the instinct of survival and in a situation that requires us to contemplate our mortality, we are most likely not considering loftier concepts, such as art and beauty.

When human beings need not worry about survival, art may take a part in significantly enhancing the quality of life. Indeed, art can add beauty to otherwise mundane lives by challenging creators (as well as audiences) to view ordinary things in front of us in a different light. The process of creating art also provides a sort of catharsis to those who need to express themselves and share their views of the world. Art also forms part of people's culture and those who appreciate art can elicit interesting information on how a group of people viewed their lives. In a society, such as the United States, where most people spend their time wasting away in routine jobs just to pay the bills, art can provide a sort of relief and change in life. Especially in developed nations where survival is not at issue, art can add a certain joie de vivre.


Granted, art comes in a myriad of forms and they are not all equal. Some art that has survived through history (e.g., Mona Lisa) carries with them a sort of mesmerizing aura that attracts viewers from around the world and even inspires the creation of new art. Other art may appear to lack technique and provoke statements, such as "I could have painted that myself and I'm not even an artist!" As said many times before, beauty is in the eyes of the beholder. While a certain work of art may cause life changing perceptions in one viewer, the same piece to another person might as well be a grain of sand on a beach. People will be affected by art in different ways and it is essential for societies to encourage the creation of art as way to potentially enhance life experiences.