Plato oh Plato!

For Plato, art was the imitation of things and actions in a world itself the passing apparition, the transient shadow of a luminous sun, of the reality of the empyrean of Ideas. This does not mean that PLato thought of art as an imitative activity in the literal sense of term. it is possible that he meant very much the same things that aristotle did when he spoke epic poetry and tragedy, comedy, the music of flute and... as modes of imitation.
to plato, art was pretense in a theater of pretense

Plato sees good life as being attained through the perfect love and lack of desire. I agree with Plato's views. He said that all of the things have functions but maybe not for the same reasons. We are all living towards more knowledge and understanding one's good. Probably, he is also saying that we also live to express ourselves and let others express themselves too. In addition to that, Plato also thinks that virtue is hidden in our nature. It simply says that we all have the potential to be virtuous or righteous. That makes me realize and believe that if you haven't found any function for an object or person, it is because you haven't known it/them well or their attitude and thought ingeniously enough of their function. Lastly, I also agree that virtue comes from the absence of desires then it means that happiness or good life is when a person arrives at the mystical understanding of the world.

When it comes to art, Plato defined it as a mimesis of reality. This time, I don't agree to him. For Plato, the artist was a dull fellow, simply holding a mirror to nature, imitating it without purpose or thought. Probably at some literal point, I agree with it. Yes, an artist is "holding a mirror to nature" but it doesn't make him/her a "dull fellow." He just uses the nature to express his/her thoughts and will but he is not imitating it. The nature helps the artist be free and at some point, influences other people. Another reason why I did not agree to Plato is that every artist do not use subjects that do not know or has no knowledge about at all.

My reaction to Plato's view of art as being detrimental to people, basing it to music... I'd hate him. Well not really hate, we won't be friends, if he's still alive. I use music to escape from reality. Music makes me feel good and round. So I wouldn't agree to Plato especially when music helps me forget my problems and never give up :>

On the other side, Plato could be right with his view when it comes to the "other side" of the art. There are things that could be detrimental to people such as violence in video games, cybersex that happens in internet sites, too much public display of affection, etc.