#253, Art/ist
Last month, Starbucks Korea planned to launch a new a "Tank Series Tumbler" on May 18. The name was derived from its design inspired by industrial water tanks and spacious capacity for bigger coffees. Hours after the promotion launched, it was cancelled.
Known in Korea as 5/18, the 18th of May is the anniversary of the 1980 massacre in Gwangju in which paratroopers violently quelled pro-democracy protests resulting in 165 civilian deaths. The backlash to the promotion was instant: boycotts, public apologies, the head of Starbucks Korea fired. But here's the hard part—many upset people still love Starbucks. Their favorite drink, their study spot, their meeting space. So they were left with an uncomfortable question: If I'm upset at Starbucks, can I still buy their coffee?
We ask this about people too, not just companies. What do you do when a singer you love does something terrible, or a favorite author believes things you find wrong? Do you delete the playlist and throw out the book...or can you separate the art from the artist?
To complete this Journal response, address the following:
Can you separate the art from the artist? i.e., Can you still like something even if the person/company that made it did something wrong?
Comment on a peer’s response.
-Brenden Lee Teacher