Reflecting Society vs. Leading it

I heard it more than once that artists claimed they did not try to advocate something bad through their work, just that they were reflecting the values (or lack of them) of society. This is something I’ll never do in my artwork or otherwise my life.

It is my intent to actually guide society and convert it to something that is a whole better. I aim to be a beacon to others and behave in the most noble and outstanding way I can. That way, people can be inspired by me, or otherwise find comfort in my being.

If people just reflect the values of others, the society as a whole will not advance, but rather maintain its own values, or deteriorate further. That’s why a noble man should aim to set up his own values of honesty, integrity, and individualism and not try to reflect what he sees in others.