Separating the art from the artist

by the U.K. government found that a tote bag must be used 131 times for every plastic grocery bag for it to positively a ect the environment. ese tradeo s end up damaging the environment in new ways making the changes not worth the cost.

Plastic bags serve a multi-purpose, and it is di cult to nd a comparable replacement. A er unloading groceries, most people reuse them to line trash cans, pick up a er pets or even pack lunches. eir versatility is not equally

In fact, according to NPR, small 4-gallon bags saw a 120% increase in sales, meaning 30% of the plastic eliminated by bans across the country came back in the form of trash bags. While the ban has some helpful components, there are unforeseen consequences that undo some of the positive e ects. is is not to say bans are completely wrong — they still have reduced the waste of plastic. e ban led to 40 million fewer pounds of trash per year, and people in cities with these bans use less plastic. However, there are better ways to be environmentally conscious than completely banning plastic bags. Rather than eliminating a type of bag, it is more important to ensure its reuse. A more e ective policy would implement a fee on all types of bags, regardless of the material they are made of. Such a policy would not only discourage excessive use of all types of bags, but it also o ers the exibility of using bags with material suited for one’s needs. While the plastic bag ban is a good attempt, more work needs to be done to successfully feel its e ectiveness.

Bad people can create good things. The reality is, however, good things are often hard to support independent of bad people. This is especially true in the case of personal creation, ranging from music to writing, where certain messages are permanently conveyed through various forms of expression. Whether it is possible to support the creator despite their creation is the real dilemma.

The widespread popularization of art from questionable artists is not a new phenomena. Although Pablo Picasso is one of the most influential artists in history, he was abusive and controlling to multiple women in his life. Arguably the most successful musician ever, Michael Jackson faced several counts of child molestation.

J.K. Rowling wrote the most popular series of novels of all time despite making several comments undermining transgender struggles.

Despite these clear discretions, many continue to support all of these artists and more. Oftentimes, inaction feels like the easiest solution. Instead of actively choosing to change their patterns of consumption, people opt to silently admit the artist’s wrongdoing and continue as they were. e result is equal ing to fund both the artist and the message they represent. In the music industry, this most commonly takes the form of royalties, which are paid to the artist per stream their song receives. Contributing to these payments promotes further creation from the artist and also supports any of their future endeavors outside of art. This makes it virtually impossible to passively consume art without also condoning the artist’s behaviors. what actions people are willing to overlook rather than what ideals they themselves believe in. As a result, the issue is very individualized as each person is responsible for creating their own boundaries. to that of the bystander e ect — people are much less likely to admit wrongdoings. ere is also a significant monetary aspect of the situation that cannot be ignored. By continuing to support artists via streams, purchases, clicks and more, people are choos- ere is, however, a limit to be reached. Directly equating supporters of the arts to the actions of artists seems unfair. Everyone who reads “Harry Potter” is not automatically transphobic just because they chose to consume Rowling’s work. is choice more so re ects

Many people argue that because the art and the artist are o en heavily removed from one another, enjoying the art does not imply a condonation of the artist’s actions. is viewpoint is based upon the assumption that the art did not play a major role in the actions of the artist. While o en true, this perspective fails to consider the snowball effect any support may have. Consuming an artist’s work helps prompt further creation, making it impossible to passively enjoy their content without helping spread their message. Ultimately, no universal line can be drawn about what deserves public support and what does not.