On art restrictions
Creative artists should always be given the freedom to express their own ideas (in words, pictures, music or film) in whichever way they wish. There should be no government restrictions on what they do.
To what extent do you agree or disagree?
Arts practitioners, regardless of disciplines, should be granted the liberty to voice their opinions without the interference of the government. Although such curtailment might help stabilise society to some extent, I do believe such restrictions would be irreversibly harmful to society in the long run.
On the one hand, proponents would argue that government censorship helps establish social stability. The arts are a powerful means to propagandise ideas and sway the public. Knowing this, an array of leaders have taken advantage of this medium and control the arts that are allowed coverage nation-wide. A well-known example of such manipulation would be China. Generations of rulers here have effectively employed the arts to boost public morale and deflate social tension. Portraits and statues of great emperors were created to glorify and ensue awe in the state. Simultaneously, writings and records reflecting the atrocities of the ruling parties were destroyed to nip social unrest in the bud, a strategy which the great Qin Shi Huang infamously employed.
However, such governmental manipulation of the arts does not serve the interest of humankind. To begin with, the arts is a sacred platform for practitioners to not only express themselves but also to discover their innermost landscapes. Liberal artists pose very relevant existential questions to viewers. Artists like Marc Quinn, who uses his own blood to sculpt, or Damien Hirst, who produces disturbing installations, force people to reflect upon their own existence and the materialistic society we are living in. Such deeply profound and influential works should receive encouragement, not inhibition, from the government. More importantly, the arts reflect history. Evidently, cave paintings and Renaissance arts tell different compelling stories. Albeit poems, novels, paintings, sculptures, music or movies, they all contribute to one glorious duty of portraying contemporary life. To alter the arts, therefore, is equivalent to altering the depiction of history. With lost pieces of history, some people lose a sense of origin and consequently are deprived of their identity.
To sum up, although censoring the arts may help sway public opinion in the government’s favour, I contend it should not be inflicted upon artists worldwide as it is irretrievably damaging to history as well as mankind reflection.
(377 words)
VOCABULARY EXPLAINED
regardless of disciplines (adv) bất kể lĩnh vực
voice their opinions (v) nêu ra quan điểm
interference of the government (n) sự can thiệp của chính quyền
curtailment (n) sự hạn chế
irreversibly harmful (a) có tác hại ko sửa chữa đc
establish social stability (v) thiết lập sự ổn định xã hội
propagandise ideas (v) tuyên truyền ý tưởng
sway the public (v) điều khiển cộng đồng
medium (n) phương tiện
nation-wide (adv) toàn quốc gia
boost public morale (v) tăng tinh thần người dân
deflate social tension (v) giảm sự căng thẳng xã hội
simultaneously (adv) cùng lúc đó
the atrocities of the ruling parties (n) sự tàn ác của các ách thống trị
nip social unrest in the bud (v) tiêu diệt bạo động “từ trong trứng nước”
infamously (adv) một cách tai tiếng
governmental manipulation (n) sự điều khiển của chính quyền
serve the interest of humankind (v) phục vụ lợi ích của nhân loại
a sacred platform (n) một nền tảng thiêng liêng
innermost landscapes (n) tạm dịch là nội tâm :v
pose very relevant existential questions (v) đặt những câu hỏi “hiện sinh (triết học)” đúng trọng điểm
materialistic society (n) xã hội nặng về vật chất
inhibition (n) sự ngăn cản
compelling stories (n) những câu chuyện lôi cuốn
portray contemporary life (v) vẽ cuộc sống đương thời
alter (v) thay đổi
equivalent to (a) tương đương với
the depiction of history (n) sự miêu tả lịch sử
a sense of origin (n) cảm giác về cội nguồn
deprived of their identity (a) taking away what makes them who they are (khúc này ko biết dịch tiếng Việt sao cho xuôi 🥲)
