Mencken, Mencken portrays artists as impersonal, grumpy and drawn-back. I have to disagree with Menckens conclusion, to me artist are just the opposite.
In humans whole existence, artists have always been present. In the stone age, with stick figures depicted on walls, to present day artists who design sculptures and paint elaborate pictures. Not only do artists bring life and curiosity to people, they also bring awe and beauty. No matter what form of art, it all describes it's creator and I believe that is how an artist expresses his feelings. In Mencken's passage, he bashes artists, putting them down and calling them, "actively hostile to their environment" and "indifferent patriots". To my beliefs artists create nothing but excellence. It was artists who painted Jesus and his disciples, are they therefore "against the environment in which God hath placed us"? An artists main goal is to paint pictures when they"re inspired or paint pictures of something that moves them. If artists are so "against the environment in which God hath placed us" then why would they paint such glorious pictures of Gods miraculous creations? .
Not only is Mencken disgracing some of the most talented and brillant artists that ever lived but he is mocking all artists throughout the entire world. For this he should be ashamed of. The above reason are the reasons why I strongly disagree with Mencken's views.