Author vs. Art: The moral dilemma between controversial creators, the art that they produce, and the communities that they build

Abstract

In today’s world, accountability plays a major part in how consumers engage with creative work, especially the written medium. Consumers often take their personal beliefs and morals into consideration when interacting with controversial work. This tension between the product and the producer prompts the question of how readers and publishers interact with texts and authors.

What ethical responsibility do publishers, readers, and critics bear when the creator’s personal beliefs conflict with the values of their work, and the values of those engaging with their work?

Our contributors, Elena Peñaloza and Rachael Rhine Milliard, explore this question while considering issues, such as authors’ legacies, time, and the freedoms that define artistic creation.