Many things make people think artists are weird(1)

Manythingsmakepeoplethinkartistsareweird--theoddhours,thenonconformity,theclovecigarettes.Buttheweirdestmaybethis:artists'onlyjobistoexploreemotions,andyettheychoosetofocusontheonesthatfeellousy.Arttodaycangiveyouanomie,noproblem.Bittersweetness?Yougotit.Tristesse?Whatsizeyouwantthatin?Butgreatart,asdefinedbythoseinthegreat-art-definingbusiness,isalmostneveraboutsimple,unironichappiness.Thiswasn'talwaysso.Theearliestformsofart,likepaintingandmusic,arethosebestsuitedforexpressingjoy.Butsomewhereinthe19thcentury,moreartistsbeganseeinghappinessasinsipid,phonyor,worstofall,boring--inTolstoy'swords,"Allhappyfamiliesarealike."WewentfromWordsworth'sdaffodilstoBaudelaire'sflowersofevil.Inthe20thcentury,classicalmusicbecamemoreatonal,visualartmoreunsettling.Artistswhofocusedonmakingtheiraudiencesfeelgood,fromUshertoThomasKinkade,werelabeled"pop."Sure,therehavebeenexceptions(say,Matisse'sTheDance),butitwouldnotbeastretchtosaythatforthepastcenturyorso,seriousarthasbeenatwarwithhappiness.In1824,Beethovencompletedthe"OdetoJoy."In1962,novelistAnthonyBurgessuseditinAClockworkOrangeasthefavoritepieceofhisultraviolentantihero.IfsomeonetitlesanartmovieHappiness,itisagoodbetthatitwillbe--asthe1998ToddSolondzfilmwas--aboutdeeplyunhappypeople,includingatelephonepervertandapedophile.Youcouldarguethatartbecamemoreskepticalofhappinessbecausemoderntimeshaveseensuchmisery.Butit'snotasifearliertimesdidn'tknowperpetualwar,disasterandthemassacreofinnocents.Thereason,infact,maybejusttheopposite:thereistoomuchdamnhappinessintheworldtoday.Afterall,whatistheonemodernformofexpressionalmostcompletelydedicatedtodepictinghappiness?Advertising.Theriseofanti-happyartalmostexactlytrackstheemergenceofmassmedia,andwithit,acommercialcultureinwhichhappinessisnotjustanidealbutanideology.Peopleinearliererasweresurroundedbyremindersofmisery.Theyworkedgruelingly,livedwithfewprotectionsanddiedyoung.IntheWest,beforemasscommunicationandliteracy,themostpowerfulmassmediumwasthechurch,whichremindedworshippersthattheirsoulswereinperilandthattheywouldsomedaybemeatforworms.Ontopofallthis,theydidnotexactlyneedtheirarttobeabummertoo.TodaythemessagesyouraverageWesternerisbombardedwitharenotreligiousbutcommercial,andrelentlesslyhappy.Fast-foodeaters,newsanchors,textmessengers,allsmiling,smiling,smiling,exceptforthatguywhokeepslosingloanstoDitech.Ourmagazinesfeaturebeamingcelebritiesandhappyfamiliesinperfecthomes.(Tolstoyclearlynevereditedasheltermag.)Andsincethesemessageshaveanagenda--topryourwalletsfromourpockets--theymaketheveryideaofhappinessseembogus."Celebrate!"commandedtheadsforthearthritisdrugCelebrex,beforewefoundoutitcouldincreasetheriskofheartattacks.Itgetsexhausting,thisconstantgoadtojoy.Ifyou'renotsmiling--afterwemadeallthosewonderfulpillsandcell-phoneplans!--what'swrongwithyou?Nottosmileisun-American.YoucanpickouttheAmericansinacrowdoftouristsbytheirreflexivegrins.TheU.S.enshrinedinitsfoundingdocumenttherighttothepursuitofhappiness.Sowepursueditand--atleastascommercedefinesit--wecaughtit.Now,likethedogthatchasedandfinallycaughtthecar,wedon'tknowwhatthehelltodowithit.Wefeelvaguelydissatisfiedthoughwehavewhatweshouldwant,vaguelyguiltyforwantingit,vaguelyangrybecauseitdidn'tcomeasadvertised.Peopletsk-tskedoverlastmonth'sstudyinwhichwomenreportedbeinghappierhavingsexorwatchingTVthanplayingwiththeirkids.Butwhyshouldn'tthey?Thisishowthemarketdefineshappiness.Happinessisfeelinggood.Kids,thosewhoexistoutsideads,makeyoufeelbad--exhausted,frustrated,boredandpoor.Thentheymoveawayandbreakyourheart.Whatweforget--whatoureconomydependsonusforgetting--isthathappinessismorethanpleasuresanspain.Thethingsthatbringthegreatestjoycarrythegreatestpotentialforlossanddisappointment.Today,surroundedbypromisesofeasyhappiness,weneedsomeonetotellusthatitisO.K.nottobehappy,thatsadnessmakeshappinessdeeper.Asthewine-connoisseurmovieSidewaystellsus,itisthekissofdecayandmortalitythatmakesgrapejuiceintoPinotNoir.Weneedarttotellus,asreligiononcedid,Mementomori:rememberthatyouwilldie,thateverythingends,andthathappinesscomesnotindenyingthisbutinlivingwithit.It'samessageevenmorebitterthanaclovecigarette,yet,somehow,abreathoffreshair.