Single moment Quote by Supervert
““I looked at the headline: “The Devil Made Him Do It." It was an opinion piece about the German composer Karlheinz Stockhausen and the “disjointed" but “grotesque" remarks he had made at a press conference. Lamenting the relative impotence of the arts in comparison to terrorism, Stockhausen had called the attacks “the greatest work of art that is possible in the whole cosmos." I guess he thought of it as a Wagnerian spectacle, an opera of airplanes and towers. “Five thousand people are dispatched into eternity, in a single moment," he said. “I couldn’t do that. In comparison with that, we’re nothing as composers.””
About This Quote
Source Article: Opinion piece on Karlheinz Stockhausen, 2021
The quote highlights the stark contrast between artistic expression and acts of terror, questioning the moral role of art in society.
In simple terms: Art vs. terror raises ethical concerns.
Key Takeaway
Consider art’s impact on society.
Themes
ethics
art
terrorism
societal responsibility
Mood
critical
reflective
Type
philosophical
ethical
When to use this quote
- media analysis
- public policy
- art education
- peacebuilding
Key Concepts
moral philosophy
cultural criticism
political discourse
Questions to Reflect On
- Can art responsibly address tragedy?
- What responsibilities do artists have in crises?
A Different Perspective
Art may be co‑opted to justify violence.
![“[The Devil] In my opinion, there is no need to destroy anything, one needs only destroy the idea of God in mankind, that's where the business should start! One should begin with that, with that--oh, blind men, of no understanding! Once mankind has renounced God, one and all (and I believe that…” quote by Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/8a0/fyodor-dostoyevsky-94_business_the-devil-in-my-opinion-there-is-no-need_986728.jpg)
