Page:Culture.vs.Copyright 01.pdf/45

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Inquiry on the Nature of Art
27

People constantly try to reach beyond all boundaries of life, no matter how well they have adapted to current circumstances. That is, an essential aspect of human life is the struggle against adaptation, and we can blame culture for this detrimental feature. A real work of art, that very cell from which the ever-growing organism of culture is built, always takes us from our world (to which we have adapted) to a new one (where we have to adapt from scratch). This requires us to be free and courageous to explore, to stand up and go, and reach new horizons. This is why all kinds of tyrants and tyrannies cannot come to terms with culture; they hate and fight it. A Nazi said once: “When I hear the word culture, I reach for my Browning!” Creators and people of culture have put themselves on the line all throughout history. We saw that people create regardless of reward or punishment. Likewise, people try to attain freedom regardless of reward or punishment. Freedom and creativity, in and of themselves, produce rewards and punishments despite ulterior circumstances. In this sense, culture, creativity, humanity, dialogue, and freedom are all synonyms.

So, What Is the Law? Freedom!

I have articulated, implied, hinted about, and developed this idea throughout the pages of my diary. The fundamental law of the nature of culture is freedom. Freedom is the only natural soil from which culture grows and flourishes and vice versa. That is: “freedom grows from culture and culture from freedom.” A creator must be absolutely free to be inspired and create. A creation must be absolutely free to circulate among, communicate with, and influence people. The audience must be absolutely free to access the creation.

Culture is the realm of ultimate freedom. This is the law of the nature of human life.