I never really believed that art had to come from a dark place. Someone who only knows pure gushes of emotion will be at that much of a disadvantage over someone who has known no suffering but does know craft. In order for stories to hold our attention they have to depict pain and suffering, yes; but this pain and suffering is fiction, and can in fact be fictional. A basic understanding of how these things work is helpful- after all, interplanetary science fiction with no understanding of how planets work might as well be fantasy instead of science fiction- but your life doesn't need to suck just for you to be an artist.
There is truth in beauty (and, you know, beauty in truth.) We find art in truth, does that mean truth is a dark place?
Even if art does come from darkness, maybe someone who's never had a dark life can produce art that's ever truer than the one who's had to go through all of this pain and suffering. They would have to dig deeper for their art, find emotions that are purer. The miserable artist goes for the obvious, thus producing art that would be only slightly better than bush league. Craft is more important than emotion. If your life sucks, all the suffering in the world wouldn't save your art if you also suck. If that's too bad for you, then maybe you can, I don't know, turn your sorrow into more art.
I think what it is is that people with pain and suffering actually do art to let out their demons and stuff, and in the process of making so much art they get really good at it. Seriously, guys. You're going to have to practice if you want to get good at anything.
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