Aestheticism, Pop Culture, Evil & Oscar Wilde

Oscar Wilde popularized the idea that Beauty, rather than Truth or Goodness, should be the aim of art — and by extension pop culture. It was an idea that gave us stunning paintings that are just splashes of color and movies that are pure roller coasters. But did removing accuracy and moral aims from art lead us into our current predicament where we blame stories for preaching violence, patriarchy, racism and sexism?  Join us on Oscar Wilde’s birthday at the Old Stone House to discuss.

Teacher: Geoff Klock