Main Idea: Art and entertainment both move the affections, but art exercises while entertainment stimulates. In both cases, one should intentionally engage the mind.
"If beautiful art does not express moral ideas, ideas which unite people, then it is not art, but only entertainment. People need to be entertained in order to distance themselves from disappointment in their lives. —IMMANUEL KANT" (Tolstoy's Calendar of Wisdom,
p. 71).
Art. Art is heart to heart work. It expresses moral ideas in ways that propositional text cannot. At least, that is what Kant says, according to the quote above.
Entertainment. Entertainment is about momentary escape from troubles. It is a pain reducer and happiness enhancer. It may help soul healing; it may not.
The need. I think we need art and entertainment because we need engagement and disengagement. Art engages the soul in ways that text and propositions cannot. It exercises affections and intuition. Entertainment, it seems to me, is more purely affections--mostly emotions. Both require caution, for those who produce art and entertainment naturally insert there beliefs and values into the work. The one who consumes the work must take care to engage the mind, especially regarding values, lest another's values enter the soul without resistance.
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