What is the difference between art and entertainment?
December 7th, 2008
Art and entertainment are both things that are perceived. Good art and good entertainment both produce a satisfying experience for the beholder. What is the difference?
Everyone has raised some interesting points but I still haven’t found an answer which really explains it.
Some of you have characterized art requiring a creative process but so does entertainment. Also some have said art is expression but entertainment can also be expression. Just think of comedians who express their views in often hilarious ways which offer real social commentary just like art might.
Entertainment has been associated with enjoyment. If there is no enjoyment, there is no entertainment. However, not all forms of entertainment are enjoyed by everyone just like not all forms of art are enjoyed by everyone. Even entertainment within the same genre can be both liked and disliked by different people.
The most common theme I see in your answers is that art is for thinking and entertainment is for enjoyment. I don’t think this holds up because the same thought processes that make art stimulating also makes entertainment stimulating.