The Disappearance of Rituals: A Topology of the Present

A study by a modern philosopher about contemporary art and the entertainment industry raises the question of the boundary between “high art” and “entertainment,” historically separated by an impassable wall. Art aimed at the sublime has traditionally been opposed to lighter, happier forms of entertainment, which were considered profanity.

But the question arises: does this boundary remain as solid and relevant today as it was in the past? Perhaps it’s worth rethinking art and entertainment, freeing them from religious and metaphysical heaviness, and considering art not as a source of suffering, but as a source of joy and laughter, freeing it from the moral constraints of past eras.

In his new essay, Byun-Chung Ho Han explores the deconstruction of contemporary art and the entertainment industry, focusing on phenomena such as laughter, joy, and entertainment, which have become important aspects of the 21st century.