? UNDER THE LAMPLIGHT-

Can we separate the art from the artist? Monsters: A Fan’s Dilemma by Claire Dederer aims to answer the age-old question. With the internet bringing the atrocities of artists who, once upon a time, used to be our favorites, it seems like no creative is safe to enjoy themselves. Whether that should even be the case is the case contested in the book.

Many know the inner turmoil of findingout an artist you look up to is not a very good person. The ethics of such a scenario are new, considering its ubiquitous rise during the digital age, but what is the right thing to do? Is it wrong to enjoy Kanye West’s music? Hemingway’s writing? Picasso’s art? Or should they get a pass because of their creative contributions to the world?

You may also wonder whether the sheer number of canceled artists indicates that creating influential work necessitates some sort of monstrosity. Dederer unpacks this, along with a conversation of how women, particularly mothers, should or shouldn’t be absolved of these accusations.

She doesn’t claim to have all the answers, but the author will try to give her opinion on the topic using real-life examples so you can make your own informed decision. The book is broken down into a collection of essays which makes it much easier to get through by eliminating the daunting aspect of a long-winded, non-fiction book, but covers all the bases of the questions you might be asking yourself if you’ve found yourself in this sort of ethical dilemma.

You can find the book on Amazon .

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