Why are people more and more desensitized to art? Is this the case at all? A characteristic opinion is a recent remark by the Dutch soprano Elly Ameling: “I believe that it’s unmistakable that civilization is going through a significant dip” (followed by the optimistic remark that the Middle Ages were followed by the Renaissance). I also believe that this is the case. The state of literature proves this sufficiently: despite analphabetism being wiped out in most countries, the works of the greatest authors aren’t widely read anymore. Has the quality of the ‘timeless’ works changed? Or have they been superseded by far superior works? I think not. Clearly, the cause lies in society.
So why is reading a centuries-old work, which perhaps takes some effort to get into, so unusual today’s society? We have here, I think, already encountered two hurdles for the modern citizen. First, in modern society every individual is surrounded by
low-effort entertainment which immediately causes effect on the spectator, it may be spectacular, it may be funny, and in any case, it quite immediately gives some pleasure, limited and superficial as it may be. After a long day of work, it is only natural to choose the low-effort entertainment, though it gives no energy like the music of Beethoven. The long-term effect is that the capability of opening oneself up to works, which require but a small effort to enter it, decreases.
Secondly, modern cultures are focused on anything ‘new’: when a new movie appears, a new song is created, they immediately have the spotlight – and lose the spotlight when even newer products appear. Anyone who comes in contact with something from another age, culture, experiences a bridge which he must overcome. In our societies, this capability of openness towards older, different things, is not stimulated, but crippled through focus on the never-ending masquerade of new productions.
More important in the desensitization for anything subtle is the constant bombardment of the most effectful advertisements, movies and music. It is almost charming, that Tolstoy wrote in the 19th century that he fears that the public becomes desensitized, if they sometimes hear bad music when they go to a concert. What a difference with today! No one can escape (bad) music today: it’s everywhere, in nearly all restaurants, public places, metro stations, shops. It is forced upon all members of society. “Every time we hear sound we are changed” says Stockhausen, and the result of this bombardment can’t be positive. “Even before birth many millions of babies are already conditioned from day to day by the musical poverty that is poured out non-stop by a comparable number of loudspeakers.” (Ton de Leeuw)
I summarize:
- The sense for beauty is atrophied, merely by living in a society with a lot of external inputs;
- People become insensitive for things that are not immediately effectful to them, works that require some small effort.
