Art and the Artist

What happens when your favorite book doesn't age so well? Or the actor who plays your favorite TV show character does something terrible? Or when your favorite author reveals that they are... well... not who you thought they were?

As fans of art, we have to recognize that art and its creators are often problematic, especially as the values of people and society change. Which means that we have decisions to make. Do we continue to support the problematic art and the problematic people? Or do we turn our backs and instead support art and artists who aren't problematic?

This essay explores the contradiction of enjoying problematic art and artists, and probes the question: what do we do when something we love has gone sour?