Even if you have a story to say, or create art for art's sake, ultimately your piece says "something".
To analyze art in a vacuum is impossible, for to create in a vacuum is impossible. Thus, we communicate through art -- ideas, inventions, morals, politics, agendas, the list goes on.
Perhaps such "communication" is why art exists.
To quote the late Terry Pratchett:
“All right," said Susan. "I'm not stupid. You're saying humans need... fantasies to make life bearable."
REALLY? AS IF IT WAS SOME KIND OF PINK PILL? NO. HUMANS NEED FANTASY TO BE HUMAN. TO BE THE PLACE WHERE THE FALLING ANGEL MEETS THE RISING APE.
"Tooth fairies? Hogfathers? Little—"
YES. AS PRACTICE. YOU HAVE TO START OUT LEARNING TO BELIEVE THE LITTLE LIES.
"So we can believe the big ones?"
YES. JUSTICE. MERCY. DUTY. THAT SORT OF THING.
"They're not the same at all!"
YOU THINK SO? THEN TAKE THE UNIVERSE AND GRIND IT DOWN TO THE FINEST POWDER AND SIEVE IT THROUGH THE FINEST SIEVE AND THEN SHOW ME ONE ATOM OF JUSTICE, ONE MOLECULE OF MERCY. AND YET—Death waved a hand. AND YET YOU ACT AS IF THERE IS SOME IDEAL ORDER IN THE WORLD, AS IF THERE IS SOME...SOME RIGHTNESS IN THE UNIVERSE BY WHICH IT MAY BE JUDGED.
"Yes, but people have got to believe that, or what's the point—"
Thus, ultimately, what do you want to say? What's your Tooth Fairy, your Santa Claus? Through your small little lies, what big lie you ultimately want to tell with your stories? I want to know, for I love humans more than anything, and what's more human than to lie, to trick, to deceive?
That's why we create art.
(And if you enjoy this line of questioning, why not give The Thrones of the Gods a go, a novel that tries to tell you that to heal is possible?)
