Here in the United States, however, while the arts are an integral part of our daily lives through a variety of electronic and print media, public support for the arts, in schools, concert halls, theaters, museums, and other venues has seen profound cutbacks and retrenchment. To the public sector, the arts have been viewed as a frill, a luxury, something expendable when funds are limited. But there is hope. America also seems to be obsessed with exercise clubs, exercise videos, exercise equipment at a time when people are spending a record amount of time vegetating in front of TV sets. One can therefore hope for, better yet, work toward, increasing awareness that live arts experiences are more enjoyable than their reproductions, more worth the effort involved to access them, and above all, more contributory to our health and wellness than is presently understood.
Physicians prescribe medication.
They can also recommend weight loss, smoking cessation, and exercise. One day, this writer believes, they will prescribe regular enjoyment of live arts experiences as a means of attaining health and maintaining wellness. This prescriptive behavior will be sufficiently recognized as to merit equal treatment fiscally by HMOs as other forms of prescribed behavior which will be recognized because of their significant reduction of healthcare costs. Pfizer Inc. All rights reserved.