Does art imitate life or life imitate art? Almost every gross or traditional depiction of life and human events that is covered by artists has usually manifested itself in some corner of the planet in some human relationship – however bizarre or straitjacketed the situation has been.

When reviewing art forms – music, books, sculpture, paintings, movies, plays, etc – one must be mindful that an artist is limited only by his or her imagination. And society does collectively and rightfully address the issue of what content should be available for PUBLIC display as there is need to protect children and/or others whose sensitivity might be affected.

Even though censorship for PRIVATE displays or enjoyment should not be abridged unless it causes harm to the vulnerable, as in the case of child pornography, we must nevertheless be wary to recognize that the appearance of an art form in the marketplace does not always mean that the contents are an example of how one should live one’s life… nor do the contents necessarily always give credence to or legitimacy of, all expressions and manifestations of human behavior.

What is right and wrong is often determined by each individual, independent of the media or of exposure to art – not by artists like myself and others who earn an income by producing content which must sell. And yes, we do also try to influence – but an audience must not be so casual about the way it lives its life that it keeps swaying, like a palm tree on a breezy day, back and forth based on which direction the wind is blowing.