A Moral Never-Never Land: Identify With Tony Soprano

There is a link between what individuals learn and how they conduct themselves. Plato and Tolstoy; although they are thousands of years apart both had the notion that art is able to corrupt minds, but the question at hand is whether or not their theory is still relevant. Pop culture seems to have corrupted the minds of individuals today because it makes its audience feel that engaging in deviant behavior is morally acceptable. Being that the artists convey their visions through their work, and the vehicle that they use to express themselves is through pop culture, their intent can be overshadowed by their desire to appeal to the masses. In James Harold’s article,”A Moral Never-Never Land:Identify with Tony Soprano”, he analyzes Plato’s and Tolstoy’s concerns about the morality of art through the observations of the character Tony Soprano. Although Tony Soprano is a notorious gangster, he is accepted despite his villainous
The self interest of the artist comes into play in the creation of television shows. The characters made are not a reflection of society, but instead the vision of the artist. Plato and Tolstoy would recognize the creation of characters, and the emotional impact it has on the audience. It is Harold who states,“The problem with this sympathetic identification is that sometimes the character with whom we identify has thoughts and feelings which are morally reprehensible, and by identifying with that character , we risk being infected by these vicious sentiments”(Harold 244). The creation of interesting characters makes the television show more appealing it’s audience, and therefore it is of the utmost importance to the artist who created