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Works Cited (in order of appearance)

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The Tortured Artist: A Dangerous Myth

Art, both its consumption and its creation, can be highly therapeutic in easing the distress of mental health issues. As such, many people with mental disorders will turn to art as a means of expression and/or comfort. However, this pattern of behavior has been woven by some into the narrative that good artists must be "tortured;" they must experience substantial pain and/or suffering to allow them to create something meaningful or profound. This belief is grossly mistaken. Pain can be an inspiration for art, but joy is equally inspiring. Furthermore, "tortured" artists do not suffer in order to create; they create in order to not suffer.

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Learning to be Happy: Singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Justin Vernon (aka Bon Iver) spoke with the New York Times about his latest album, Sable, Fable. Most of the songs released under the "Bon Iver" moniker have been gut-wrenchingly melancholic catharses. Sable, Fable, meanwhile, is the turning of a new leaf for Vernon: a departure from his usual melancholia in favor of a brighter, more joyful period in both his life and musical career. "Sable is this dark, black color... almost like a cartoon of sad Bon Iver music," said Vernon. "That's no way to live." Vernon further likens the Sable half of the album to "the last gasping breath of [his] former self that really did feel bad for himself." "...[Meanwhile], Fable is like, windows down, sunshine... I'm finally in this place where I'm like, 'I'm OK'" (New York Times, 2025).

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