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1、TEXT4Manythingsmakepeoplethinkartistsareweird・Buttheweirdestmaybethis:artistsonlyjobistoexploreemotions,andyettheychoosetofocusontheonesthatfeelbad.Thiswasn'talwaysso.Theearliestformsofart,likepaintingandmusic,arethosebestsuitedforexpressingjoy.Butsomewhereinthe19thcenturyonw
2、ard,moreartistsbeganseeinghappinessasmeaningless,phonyor,worstofall,boring,aswewentfromWordsworth'sdaffodilstoBaudelaire'sflowersofevil.Youcouldarguethatartbecamemoreskepticalofhappinessbecausemoderntimeshaveseensomuchmisery.Butit，snotasifearliertimesdidn，tknowperpetualwar,di
3、sasterandthemassacreofinnocents・Thereason,infact,maybejusttheopposite:thereistoomuchdamnhappinessintheworldtoday.Afterall,whatistheonemodemformofexpressionalmostcompletelydedicatedtodepictinghappiness?Advertising.Theriseofantihappyartalmostexactlytrackstheemergenceofmassmedia
4、,andwithit,acommercialcultureinwhichhappinessisnotjustanidealbutanideology.Peopleinearliererasweresurroundedbyremindersofmisery.Theyworkeduntilexhausted,livedwithfewprotectionsanddiedyoung・IntheWest,beforemasscommunicationandliteracy,themostpowerfulmassmediumwasthechurch,whic
5、hremindedworshippersthattheirsoulswereindangerandthattheywouldsomedaybemeatforworms.Givenallthis,theydidnotexactlyneedtheirarttobeabummertoo.TodaythemessagestheaverageWesternerissurroundedwitharenotreligiousbutcommercial,andforeverhappy.Fastfoodeaters,newsanchors,textmessenge
6、rs,allsmiling,smiling,smiling.Ourmagazinesfeaturebeamingcelebritiesandhappyfamiliesinperfecthomes.Andsincethesemessageshaveanagenda-tolureustoopenourwallets-theymaketheveryideaofhappinessseemunreliable."Celebrate!”commandedtheadsforthearthritisdrugCele,beforewefoundoutitcould
7、increasetheriskofheartattacks.Whatweforget-whatoureconomydependsonusforgetting-isthathappinessismorethanpleasurewithoutpain.Thethingsthatbringthegreatestjoycarrythegreatestpotentialforlossanddisappointment.Today,suiroundedbypromisesofeasyhappiness，weneedarttotellus,asreligion
8、oncedid,Mementomori:rememberthatyouwilldie,thateverythingends,andtha
