The Importance of Art and Literature During a Tragedy

Published May 1 2016 online on Davids blog That David Hopkins.

BY DAVID HOPKINS

During a tragedy, I try to stay away from Facebook. Some of my friends (who are wonderful, kind, and intelligent
people) just start posting stuff that puts me on edge. Then I try to figure out why Im on edge, and then I start
playing the game Who-I-Most-Agree-With-and-Why, and it really distracts me from the actual tragedy.

Finally, it ends with me writing my own thoughts down in an effort to make sense of the world.

On November 13, 2015, Paris was attacked by terrorists. The day before, terrorists also attacked Beirut. Horrible.
Terrible. Heartbreaking.

Then, I saw people on Facebook complaining that more people were upset about Paris and didnt even know (or
care) about Beirut. The implicit judgment: You hypocrite. And some astute people were able to point out tragedies
that have taken place all over the worldPeshawar, Qasoor, Karachi, Syria, Afghanistan, Iraq, Egypt, Serbia, Croatia,
Boko Haram, Darfur, Palestine, and Israel. Lets also not forget the atrocities happening in Central and South
America. The implicit judgment: Do your homework, you hypocrite.

Its true. The tragedy in Paris hit me the hardest. Is it because I think French lives are more important than the lives
of people elsewhere? Not at all. I want to care about all tragedies in equal measure, but I dont, and I dont think you
do either. I think it comes down to how close we are to the tragedy.

I havent done a lot of international traveling in my life. Ive been to Russia, and Ive been to Mexico, and thats
about it. But Ive watched movies by Francois Truffaut. And I adore them. Ive seen Jean-Pierre Jeunets Amelie and A
Very Long Engagement several times, not to mention other great French films. Ive read Monsieur Jean by Dupuy
and Berberianand countless other French graphic novels. Art and literature put me in closer proximity to that
place. Paris, a place Ive never visited, feels alive through decades worth of exposure to great French artists.

Why do I care about Iran? I read Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi.

Why do I care about Palestine? I read Palestine by Joe Sacco.

Why do I care about Israel? I read Exit Wounds by Rutu Modan.

Lets not make this about us. You arent a horrible person because youre fond of the places closest to you. And for
someone who hasnt had the means to travel as much as hed like, the only way I can connect to these places is
through art and literature. On some level, my view of England has been shaped by Doctor Who and Harry Potter.
Japan? Lots and lots of manga, Kurosawa, and Miyazaki. Just as Im sure that the world sees New York City as the
place where Marvel super heroes live, and Texas will always be the home of westerns and John Wayne.

Instead of telling others how they are supposed to feel about a tragedy, how about sharing with them some of your
favorite art and literature from those other countries? The ones we habitually and shamefully skip over. I know
theres something Im missing out on, and you have an opportunity to let me in on the treasures of those other
cultures. Then it becomes a real place.

As you might guess, I think the best place to start is with translated works. Im fond of comic books and graphic
novels from other countries. First Second has a good collection. And if you like prose novels, Deep Vellum is doing
some great work.

Yes, I realize the issue is bigger and more substantial than I havent seen any great movies about Syria recently.
Does the U.S. news media do a good job covering international events fairly and in equal measure? Of course not.
However, lets save that frustration for where and when its due. If we want to keep the conversation positive and
productive, it starts with introducing people to new places and new people, not by policing how we respond to
tragedy.