Question

Over the years, one of the main focuses of the Humanities has been the "struggles" of many of the historical figures and all that they had to go through to become the giants that they were destined to be. Some of these figures suffered from mental illness, depression, and drug addiction. They had to overcome a number of obstacles. Overall, they suffered as they created the art that we have come to know and love. Some of those figures include, Vincent van Gogh, Emily Dickinson, Oscar Wilde, Virginia Woolf, Ray Charles, and Elvis Presley. In addition to struggling with their personal demons, some of these artists were only recognized posthumously (after their deaths). Many would argue that today's artists, entertainers, and writers have to face few struggles, if any. Today's entertainers became overnight sensations because of vehicles like YouTube and shows like The Voice and American Idol. Instead of spending years as a "starving artist," one million views on YouTube can catapult a virtual unknown person into the spotlight. Once a video goes viral on the Internet, life for the featured "star" of that video will forever be changed. In light of today's technology, is there such a thing as a "struggle" anymore? Explain your reasoning by giving examples.

Answer 1

Respond to this… I can understand why people believe that artists today do not struggle as much as they did before social media. What I think is important to understand is that there are millions of people are using the internet and even if you look at some of the videos on YouTube, not everyone is an instant success. I think that whether or not someone is successful is directly related to their talent that they are trying to share, whether that is drawing, singing, dancing, or comedy. I do think that with social media it has become easier for some people to get into the spot light but it is still difficult for others.