Performing arts is a commercialized beauty and a comprehensive art to which man can most easily approach for the present. It is also an experimental form of ever-changing beauty by and for the communication between artists and audiences. Having an opt...
Performing arts is a commercialized beauty and a comprehensive art to which man can most easily approach for the present. It is also an experimental form of ever-changing beauty by and for the communication between artists and audiences. Having an optimistic view over such a pursuit for beauty, Kant viewed all the living things would manifest their natural characters completely and in a manner of being fit for their purpose one day. He also said that nature gave man rationality and sensitivity and man flowered art and learning through characteristics, thus finally reaching the state of cosmopolitan in which individual pursuit of beauty having no limit and common sense working. However, we have a long way to go to such moral maturity. If a nation drives people to unlimited liberalistic competition, uselessly restricts individual pursuit of beauty, wastes national power in taking over public opinion, does not put any effort in gradually enlightening people's humanity through aesthetic education, and especially shakes the support base of such an intention of nationals, we cannot expect morality and cultural formation in which personal aesthetic values are freely communicated. All the good things that are not based on good moral disposition (aesthetic sense of commonness) can be only valueless imaginary things and superficially good-looking enticement. If man does not free himself from such a confusing relationship and realize the finality of nature that has assumed the state of cosmopolitan in advance, he inevitably remains in such a state. Started with such a question as "Is beauty a kind of goodness and does it give hope to humankind?", this study confirmed the fact that there is a close relationship between a commonness sense-oriented aesthetic attitude and a moral attitude through such an argument as 'Art has positive influence upon morality' raised by numerous philosophers since Plato. This concept has a great influence upon the investigator's study on morality which has been started with such a question as "Is there any hope in performing arts?"
If man's pursuit of happiness is sincere, individual attitude toward beauty can be goodness. Individual aesthetic discernment, advanced to his attitude toward beauty, can change and develop his disposition and tendency in itself. Study findings show that there is a definite correlation between exposure to performing arts and resulting cultural tendency of the audience. Study findings are as follows:
As to the influence of exposure to performing arts upon the difference of cultural tendency, the group that is frequently exposed to performing arts has not a perpendicular propensity but a horizontal propensity. However, the group that is not frequently exposed to performing arts has not a horizontal tendency but a vertical or individualistic tendency. Such a cultural tendency can be interpreted into that people who are frequently exposed to performing arts more emphasize development of individual character and subjectivity than people who are not frequently exposed to it. They place meaning not on competition but on cooperation, and not on individuality but on common aim. And there is other person-considered universality in their center of discernment, the base of morality.
This study is meaningful not in that it contributes to the activation of performing arts or to the development of aesthetic studies, but in that it restores the study on performing arts to its starting point for a short while. Since man's life is limited and his body and mind gradually weaken as the time goes by, he can easily lose his original intention and succumb to the temptation of ease. Therefore, man must realize the fact that his best hope is in the ability of loving, understanding, creating, and contemplating beauty. And based on such realization and through the enlightenment of art and aesthetic values, man must gradually set out his long journey toward individual achievement and better world order.