Criticism of "On the Purpose of the Arts"

“On the Purpose of the Arts” by Cronin, the president of Whitman College, discusses the view of Whitman College on the importance and place of arts in society. He says that, “The critically important role of the arts in the academy, as in life, is to enable us to see the world and the human condition differently, and in seeing the world through a particular work of art, to see a truth we might not have understood before” (Cronin). He talks about this a lot and relates it back to how this can help broaden the view of the humanist, artist, scientist, and politician by introducing them to a different perspective. He also discusses how Whitman College offers a lot of programs for students to participate in the arts. Also it’s good to note that Whitman College is a liberal arts college.

It seems to me that the only people who value the arts are the ones who participate in the arts. The only ones pushing for arts in schools are artists in their various forms. Cronin makes a good case on why artists are important to our society: they make people think. Yes, think, what
a concept, in a world where information is handed out literally to you on a television, art is something that requires analysis and some time to interpret the meanings behind it. Which also applies to life, people are not open books, and if they are, they are often in a foreign language. Problems are not straightforward, most of the time, so they also require analysis and careful interpretation, whether you’re an engineer or an auto mechanic. So art does have its place. It stimulates the mind to think differently and enriches the artist and audience.

Cronin, Tom. "On the Importance of the Arts." Whitman College. Whitman College,
n.d. Web. 21 Apr 2010.
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