Trust and Sincerity in Art

Our life with art is suffused trust. We don’t just trust one another’s aesthetic testimony; we actions. Audiences artists to have made it worth their while; audiences put in the effort. Without trust, would little reason effort understand difficult and unfamiliar art. I offer a theory of which highlights importance sincerity. sincerity when rely on them fulfill commitments act for reasons—rather than for, say, financial, social, or political reasons. feel most thoroughly betrayed by an artist, not they make bad art, but sell out. This teaches us something about nature general. According many standard theories, involves taking trusted be cooperative good-natured. But different. true own sensibility, might involve selfishly ignoring audience’s needs. Why do care so much artist’s sincerity, rather merely trusting good art? emphasize wish encourage originality, demanding success along predictable lines. And ask our goal discover shared sensibility. In moral life, often try force convergence through coordinated hope lovely discovery that sensibilities were similar all along. need overt coordination.