The writer Salman Rushdie has said that he sees his role as writer to be that as an antagonist.
As a result, his book hurt the feelings of believing Muslims and started an international incident.
Now, I do not agree with the persecution of Salman Rushdie, but he did cause great harm.
An artist has a responsability to kindness.
What are you trying to accomplish?
Certainly not to hurt people!
As an artist, I believe that I have a sacred responsability to try to make the world a better place.
Or, at least, to do no harm.
And so I believe in kindness as an artist.
I am not an antagonist.
I do not want to make the world worse.
I want to make the world better.
Antagonists make the world worse.
Kindness makes the world better.
It is artists like Jim Henson and Walt Disney, who believe in kindness in their art, who make the world a better place.
Maybe these artists want to be a man and provoke people, be adult and be dangerous.
If you really want to be a man, be kind.
If you really want to be an adult, be mature and be kind.
An artist has a responsability to kindness.
Salman Rushdie, with his extrordinary gifts, could have fostered greater understanding between Christians and Muslims.
But the modern world led him astray.
The modern world told him to be an antagonist.
So I am countering: don't be an antagonist. Be kind.
Sincerely,
David S. Annderson
P.S. this goes for all kinds of artists, including musicians.
Do not be like the rappers who spew hate.