It Is Well Known That, From Birth to Adulthood….

It is well known that, from birth to adulthood, we are all subjected to a succession of phases, or problems, which can be schematized, from awareness of the environment and individuality, to more complex problems such as the rationalization of emotions or social integration. We all experience it, although perhaps at different ages and certainly in different circumstances. In this, we realize that a hierarchy of problems can also be established, from the most basic to the most complex, generally linked to age groups, so that in order to deal with problems higher up the hierarchy, it is necessary to have overcome, albeit temporarily, the previous problems. This progress involves a gradual change in the focus of interest, a natural and necessary change, required by maturing itself. It is inappropriate for an adult to still be fighting over self-affirmation, for example, as this is a characteristic problem of adolescence. Likewise, a real existential crisis is characteristic of a mature, well-formed adult. From all this, we can see the following, which is rarely observed by literary critics: if an artist, no matter how skillful, concentrates on more basic and universal problems, he will certainly reach a larger audience and be better understood; however, his work simply will not be able to sustain the interest of someone who is aware of the relevance of such problems and their position in the general hierarchy, someone for whom such problems have long since been overcome, and whose interest therefore soars to much higher altitudes. That is why there is no escaping it: to be truly great, an artist cannot limit himself to serving the general public.