# What works of art/literature best address the following polical/policy questions? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 19, 2010, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-works-of-art-literature-best-address-the-following-polical-policy-questions/557651 "2010-10-19T13:41:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![gitfiddle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/898d66/32.png) [@gitfiddle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gitfiddle)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2010, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-works-of-art-literature-best-address-the-following-polical-policy-questions/557651/1 "2010-10-19T13:41:38Z")
I’m wondering what works of art/literature illustrate well the following - How fear can be used manipulate the population - The loss of social capital/trust in communities in the US - Empathy - How people in a certain system do things (good or bad) that they never thought themselves capable of - transparency vs. secrecy - limits/strengths of government - the limits of economic theory I’m interested in books, paintings, music, poems plays, etc. There are some answers that seem obvious (e.g. 1984), but I’m just going to let people post and see what comes up. FULL DISCLOSURE: Since I presume such a question will raise eyebrows. This is not for any sort of assignment. I’m a grad student in a public-policy related field, and I want to incorporate humanities into my work, but it is not in any way a part of that which I have been assigned to do. I was an English major, and I’m trying desperately to make space for my love of fiction and art. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2010, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-works-of-art-literature-best-address-the-following-polical-policy-questions/557651/2 "2010-10-19T13:43:35Z")
For starters, [1984](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nineteen_Eighty-Four) ---
**Author:** ![Fried\_Dough\_Ho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a88e57/32.png) [@Fried\_Dough\_Ho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fried_Dough_Ho)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2010, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-works-of-art-literature-best-address-the-following-polical-policy-questions/557651/3 "2010-10-19T13:47:40Z")
How about movies?[Metropolis](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0017136/) For art, I would look at the post-WWI artwork of Otto Dix; images like [this](http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wr8IiBlZ0g8/R1O2qNMWK0I/AAAAAAAABSE/ONUfajJOzTo/s1600-R/128594.jpg&imgrefurl=http://outsidetheivorytower.blogspot.com/2007/12/weimars-ruthless-portraitist-otto-dix.html&usg=__Xy0m9F1vGOH-UHjbTVAeApBk5Gg=&h=403&w=600&sz=121&hl=en&start=0&sig2=Wls2RHLditZaTsK6Sd-2eQ&zoom=1&tbnid=5zOw22Slnaqv5M:&tbnh=161&tbnw=190&ei=L6G9TIOQGpK4sAO1s7XIDA&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dotto%2Bdix%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26sa%3DN%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official%26biw%3D806%26bih%3D640%26tbs%3Disch:1&um=1&itbs=1&iact=hc&vpx=493&vpy=96&dur=305&hovh=184&hovw=274&tx=170&ty=98&oei=L6G9TIOQGpK4sAO1s7XIDA&esq=1&page=1&ndsp=11&ved=1t:429,r:3,s:0) and [this](http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.germanexpressionist.com/Otto-Dix_Expressionist.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.germanexpressionist.com/Otto_Dix.htm&usg=__AVmYyNGttAYnmUAdLjAekQlL3vY=&h=300&w=300&sz=67&hl=en&start=11&sig2=3tqWt01AeHk-U1YBsIL31g&zoom=1&tbnid=T3JCKHREFe1t8M:&tbnh=151&tbnw=148&ei=ZqG9TKP_A4nWtQO1jsTIDA&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dotto%2Bdix%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26sa%3DN%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official%26biw%3D806%26bih%3D640%26tbs%3Disch:10%2C495&um=1&itbs=1&iact=hc&vpx=426&vpy=294&dur=2865&hovh=225&hovw=225&tx=98&ty=118&oei=L6G9TIOQGpK4sAO1s7XIDA&esq=2&page=2&ndsp=12&ved=1t:429,r:6,s:11&biw=806&bih=640) were definitely painted to invoke fear and empathy for those who were not there to experience the horrors that he did in the trenches. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2010, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-works-of-art-literature-best-address-the-following-polical-policy-questions/557651/4 "2010-10-19T13:53:59Z")
> [@gitfiddle](#): > > I’m wondering what works of art/literature illustrate well the following > > - How fear can be used manipulate the population “Good Night and Good Luck” which is about the Joseph McCarthy era. Fear was used both to make the public afraid of Commies AND to keep others in line lest they be accused of being Commies. ---
**Author:** ![Reno\_Nevada](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Reno\_Nevada](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reno_Nevada)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2010, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-works-of-art-literature-best-address-the-following-polical-policy-questions/557651/5 "2010-10-19T14:14:50Z")
> [@gitfiddle](#): > > I’m wondering what works of art/literature illustrate well the following > > … > > - How people in a certain system do things (good or bad) that they never thought themselves capable of > … I have a feeling that an awful lot of literature is more or less about this, but on the good side there is _The Lord Of The Rings_, and especially _The Return Of The King_–it is pretty much about ordinary people doing extra-ordinary things. On the bad side, not fiction but I strongly recommend _They Thought They Were Free_. It is by a journalist who interviewed low-level Nazis after WWII and basically asked how they could have done these horrible things. It is very good. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2010, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-works-of-art-literature-best-address-the-following-polical-policy-questions/557651/6 "2010-10-19T14:30:24Z")
> [@gitfiddle](#): > > - Empathy [Spider Robinson.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spider_Robinson) ---
**Author:** ![gitfiddle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/898d66/32.png) [@gitfiddle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gitfiddle)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2010, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-works-of-art-literature-best-address-the-following-polical-policy-questions/557651/7 "2010-10-19T14:45:56Z")
> [@Fried\_Dough\_Ho](#): > > How about movies? Certainly! Thanks! Two movies that come to mind for me (re: empathy) are Crash and Gran Turino. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2010, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-works-of-art-literature-best-address-the-following-polical-policy-questions/557651/8 "2010-10-19T15:17:05Z")
[A Clockwork Orange](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Clockwork_Orange). ---
**Author:** ![Malthus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Malthus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malthus)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2010, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-works-of-art-literature-best-address-the-following-polical-policy-questions/557651/9 "2010-10-19T15:30:12Z")
> [@](#): > > How people in a certain system do things (good or bad) that they never thought themselves capable of I rather liked _King Rat_. > **[King Rat (Clavell novel)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King_Rat_(1962_novel))** > > King Rat is a 1962 novel by James Clavell and the author's literary debut. Set during World War II, the novel describes the struggle for survival of American, Australian, British, Dutch and New Zealander prisoners of war in a Japanese camp in Singapore. Clavell was a prisoner in the Changi Prison camp, where the novel is set. One of the three major characters, Peter Marlowe, is based upon Clavell. > King Rat was the first book published of Clavell's sweeping series, the Asian Saga, and the four... ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Nader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Darth\_Nader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Nader)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2010, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-works-of-art-literature-best-address-the-following-polical-policy-questions/557651/10 "2010-10-20T04:58:54Z")
How about a 3d exploration of [Guernica](http://visualjournalism.com/famous-picasso-painting-guernica-as-a-3d-model/2010/02/25/)? ---
**Author:** ![Khaki\_Campbell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9de053/32.png) [@Khaki\_Campbell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khaki_Campbell)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2010, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-works-of-art-literature-best-address-the-following-polical-policy-questions/557651/11 "2010-10-20T05:59:04Z")
> [@jsgoddess](#): > > Fear was used both to make the public afraid of Commies AND to keep others in line lest they be accused of being Commies. Well, considering that communism ultimately killed 100,000,000 people, I’d say that this fear was a little… justified ? ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2010, 8:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-works-of-art-literature-best-address-the-following-polical-policy-questions/557651/12 "2010-10-20T08:03:09Z")
_The Lord of the Flies_ by William Golding ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2010, 11:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-works-of-art-literature-best-address-the-following-polical-policy-questions/557651/13 "2010-10-20T11:28:38Z")
> [@Khaki\_Campbell](#): > > Well, considering that communism ultimately killed 100,000,000 people, I’d say that this fear was a little… justified ? Even if that’s true, it would be a rather scanty post-hoc justification for McCarthy’s smear tactics. Socialism never progressed beyond limited inroads in the U.S. and public interrogation of actors isn’t a very effective way to fight espionage against the U.S. government. Arthur Miller’s The Crucible is a good allegorical treatment of this issue, although it also stands on its own as a drama about the Salem Witch Trials. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2010, 12:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-works-of-art-literature-best-address-the-following-polical-policy-questions/557651/14 "2010-10-20T12:09:25Z")
> [@gitfiddle](#): > > I’m wondering what works of art/literature illustrate well the following > > - How fear can be used manipulate the population > - The loss of social capital/trust in communities in the US > - Empathy > - How people in a certain system do things (good or bad) that they never thought themselves capable of > - transparency vs. secrecy > - limits/strengths of government > - the limits of economic theory Arguably, WATCHMEN. ---
**Author:** ![Quercus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/7ab992/32.png) [@Quercus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quercus)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2010, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-works-of-art-literature-best-address-the-following-polical-policy-questions/557651/15 "2010-10-20T13:01:04Z")
I was going to mention _The Crucible_. A bit too melodramatic to be great art, but definitely about using fear to manipulate. Since that was taken, I’ll go with _The Music Man_ (I didn’t say it was a serious exploration, but one musical scene is all about using fear to manipulate people into buying things). And if those were too light and wussy, I’ll give you “Let’s Have a War” from punk band Fear. … BTW that’s kind of a long list of topics. You might want to narrow it down a bit. ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2010, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-works-of-art-literature-best-address-the-following-polical-policy-questions/557651/16 "2010-10-20T22:06:21Z")
Shirley Jackson’s **The Lottery** touches on a few of these. So do **Curse of the Starving Class** (Sam Shepard) and **Shadows and Fog** (Woody Allen, one of his best). ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Knig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cdc98d/32.png) [@Typo\_Knig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Knig)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2010, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-works-of-art-literature-best-address-the-following-polical-policy-questions/557651/17 "2010-10-20T23:42:09Z")
Re: the fear/manipulation in fiction: High Noon And thank you, **Marley23**! ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2010, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-works-of-art-literature-best-address-the-following-polical-policy-questions/557651/18 "2010-10-21T04:00:37Z")
That “utopia/dystopia” thread was essentially a graduate course in this. ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2010, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-works-of-art-literature-best-address-the-following-polical-policy-questions/557651/19 "2010-10-21T04:25:23Z")
Ayn Rand’s ATLAS SHRUGGED - How fear can be used manipulate the population The Statists/Looters use fear of economic doom to justify greater economic repression of the Creators/Traders. - The loss of social capital/trust in communities in the US Businesspeople cease to rely on the quality of their goods & services and the mutual benefit of free trade and instead learn to rely of political pull & graft to keep afloat. - How people in a certain system do things (good or bad) that they never thought themselves capable of Gov’t Stooge “The Wet Blanket”/Tony learns integrity & the value of freedom & independent individual thought from working with Hank Rearden to the point of risking all for him. On the other hand, physicist & rationalist Dr. Robert Stadler sells out to the Statists & betrays his prize students in the name of pragmatism. - limits/strengths of government Government force cannot compel productivity as productivity flourishes in an atmosphere of liberty & rights. ---
**Author:** ![Gil-Martin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Gil-Martin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gil-Martin)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2010, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-works-of-art-literature-best-address-the-following-polical-policy-questions/557651/20 "2010-10-21T13:51:10Z")
Already mentioned in the thread on utopian/dystopian literature: _We_, by Yevgeny Zamyatin. In fact, a number of the books recommended in that thread contain thematic treatments of government manipulation, limitation, secrecy, and so forth. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-works-of-art-literature-best-address-the-following-polical-policy-questions/557651.md?page=2)