A few days ago, I went to see my favorite band, up front and squeezed against the barricade, screaming those well-known lyrics that have been etched into my memory since 2010. I thoroughly enjoyed myself, and so did my sister, who was right there beside me. But at the end of the night, she looked at me and said, "I know I'm not supposed to like Jared Leto, but when he looked me in the eyes and pulled me onstage I felt happy. I really want to like him."
You see, there have been rumors circulating on the internet that Jared Leto is into questionably young girls and he even has a few allegations of sexual assault. These rumors have made it increasingly tough to listen to his band's music or watch movies he stars in. But I still do because his music got me through my tough times when I was bullied and it was the first thing I felt passionate about. Recently, I have been asking myself "Does that make me problematic?"
I remember when my brother told me Xxxtentacion died, I said, "That's too bad, but he was a trash person, and I don't feel sorry for him." I resented the people on the internet who stuck up for him as if they were ignoring the fact that he has an extensive history of assault. But how was I any better than the people I resented?
If some people liked an artist's work, is that wrong? It is arguable that supporting a problematic artist is a way of promoting their actions by saying, "Even though you're not a good person, I will download your songs, watch your movies, and give you my money regardless." But what about if you enjoy their art illegally, where the artist does not benefit from it? Would it be okay then?
The art and the artist can be two separate things. Sometimes art is just art. You can appreciate camera angles or video effects, lyrics that resound to you, paintings that move you. However, one can't be willfully ignorant of the controversy around the artist. The art may very well be tainted, but as long as you aren't an apologist for the artist's actions, you are free to enjoy what you want.
