Historically, art was not seen as producing anything new or unique; indeed, the artist was viewed as an imitator—one who makes copies of nature. The Greeks had a story about an artist who was so skilled that when he painted grapes the birds would peck at them. But today art is not admired for its fidelity to nature but for its fidelity to "inner nature." Contemporary art is seen as a vehicle for self-discovery and self-expression.
To repeat: in the past, the artist's job was to depict external reality as realistically as possible. The focus was the object, not the artist. Now, the artist's perception of the object is more important.
Similarly, people used to get their meaning and purpose from an external moral framework--tradition, national culture, or religion. Now, meaning and purpose is chosen and self-generated and one's authenticity to that ideal is the goal. Authenticity is the degree to which one is in accordance with one's inner moral framework. "Are you being true to yourself?" is the central question.
Authenticity and morality are thus related. You're authentic if you're aligned with your internal moral compass. According to you, when you're authentic, you're being moral.
Morality then means status, at least internal status. Your moral framework determines the hierarchy and the degree to which you are in accordance with your inner moral framework, determines your position on that hierarchy . "I am authentic. I am moral. I am high status. I am high value".
The key to this internally-derived vs externally-derived moral framework is that you can potentially choose your status and value in this world. Before modernity, when status was linked solely to birth, rank, wealth, and physical attractiveness (these things are still considered important!), you were stuck with whatever status was given to you. But now in this modern, globalized, and diverse world where one framework does not have a monopoly on status, you can choose your moral framework, and thus determine your own status and value.
Morality then means status, at least internal status. Your moral framework determines the hierarchy and the degree to which you are in accordance with your inner moral framework, determines your position on that hierarchy . "I am authentic. I am moral. I am high status. I am high value".
The key to this internally-derived vs externally-derived moral framework is that you can potentially choose your status and value in this world. Before modernity, when status was linked solely to birth, rank, wealth, and physical attractiveness (these things are still considered important!), you were stuck with whatever status was given to you. But now in this modern, globalized, and diverse world where one framework does not have a monopoly on status, you can choose your moral framework, and thus determine your own status and value.
Your conception of morality will most likely be an attempt to transcend the limited status you are given in this world, especially if you are poor, powerless, or ugly. But it is often also an attempt to transcend death. If you're a Christian, you will live forever in heaven. All the bad people will be in hell. If you're an author, you will live on through your books. If you're a parent, you will live on through your children. If you're an environmentalist, your actions will live on through the planet. If you're a scholar, you will live on through your ideas. If you're a fallen soldier or martyr, you will live on through a narrative that others will recall and remember. Tycoons who already rich beyond measure continue to amass wealth so that through their large charitable foundations, they can have influence long after they have passed away.
People are status and meaning-hungry creatures. The process that I described above is an attempt to reconcile the "God-shaped" void in our hearts. But our meaning and purpose do not come from an external god. The self is but a narrative we have constructed that we have come to believe. We create the standard by which we judge the meaningfulness of our lives.
People are status and meaning-hungry creatures. The process that I described above is an attempt to reconcile the "God-shaped" void in our hearts. But our meaning and purpose do not come from an external god. The self is but a narrative we have constructed that we have come to believe. We create the standard by which we judge the meaningfulness of our lives.
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