user23746: I have aspired to be an artist since adolescence. I saw a Studio Ghibli movie and wanted to create that same magical feeling in others. However more recently, I think I have may have aspired only to create nothing more than escapism, rather than content that truly helps anyone. I don't feel that I am doing more to contribute to the world than farmers, doctors, and the like. Additionally, much of the work I aspire to is largely inspired by nerdy things that I obsess over, or things that make me feel a certain way that I want to replicate. But that is self-serving, and not a display of my compassion.
Many people want to be artists, however we are drowning in a complete excess of artistic media. Artists today compete heavily for the economy of people's attention spans. We exonerate film auteurs like Hitchcock, Miyazaki, Spielberg etc., but those people had to compete with many others
I still feel the desire to create work that is personal, expressive and cathartic. I want to create art that connects me to like minds. However, I feel that my artistic pursuits could be more passionate. And that can be hard when you feel a need to mold your work to the demands of social media.

user471: I think any career which allows one to practice the five precepts, Right Livelihood, Right Speech and Right Action (which includes the five precepts) without any obstruction, is a career that is aligned WITH Buddhism. I think we should not make lay Buddhism more complicated than it should be.
So, a career in art is fine, but preferably you should avoid using art to inflame others' passion, greed, anger and hatred (please see Talaputa Sutta for details).
Here are the five precepts:


I undertake the precept to refrain from destroying living creatures.
I undertake the precept to refrain from taking that which is not given.
I undertake the precept to refrain from sexual misconduct.
I undertake the precept to refrain from incorrect speech.
I undertake the precept to refrain from intoxicating drinks and drugs which lead to carelessness.


Here's a reminder of Right Livelihood from AN 5.177:

"A lay follower should not engage in five types of business. Which
five? Business in weapons, business in human beings, business in meat,
business in intoxicants, and business in poison."

Here's a summary of Right Speech from SN 45.8:

"And what is right speech? Abstaining from lying, from divisive
speech, from abusive speech, & from idle chatter: This is called right
speech."


23746: <p>I have aspired to be an artist since adolescence. I saw a Studio Ghibli movie and wanted to create that same magical feeling in others. However more recently, I think I have may have aspired only to create nothing more than escapism, rather than content that truly helps anyone. I don't feel that I am doing more to contribute to the world than farmers, doctors, and the like. Additionally, much of the work I aspire to is largely inspired by nerdy things that I obsess over, or things that make me feel a certain way that I want to replicate. But that is self-serving, and not a display of my compassion.</p>
<p>Many people want to be artists, however we are drowning in a complete excess of artistic media. Artists today compete heavily for the economy of people's attention spans. We exonerate film auteurs like Hitchcock, Miyazaki, Spielberg etc., but those people had to compete with many others</p>
<p>I still feel the desire to create work that is personal, expressive and cathartic. I want to create art that connects me to like minds. However, I feel that my artistic pursuits could be more passionate. And that can be hard when you feel a need to mold your work to the demands of social media.</p>
 471: <p>I think any career which allows one to practice the <a href="https://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sila/pancasila.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">five precepts</a>, <a href="https://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca4/samma-ajivo/index.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Right Livelihood</a>, <a href="https://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca4/samma-vaca/index.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Right Speech</a> and <a href="https://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca4/samma-kammanto/index.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Right Action</a> (which includes the five precepts) without any obstruction, is a career that is aligned WITH Buddhism. I think we should not make lay Buddhism more complicated than it should be.</p>
<p>So, a career in art is fine, but preferably you should avoid using art to inflame others' passion, greed, anger and hatred (please see <a href="https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn42/sn42.002.than.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Talaputa Sutta</a> for details).</p>
<p>Here are the <a href="https://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sila/pancasila.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">five precepts</a>:</p>
<blockquote>
<ol>
<li>I undertake the precept to refrain from destroying living creatures.</li>
<li>I undertake the precept to refrain from taking that which is not given.</li>
<li>I undertake the precept to refrain from sexual misconduct.</li>
<li>I undertake the precept to refrain from incorrect speech.</li>
<li>I undertake the precept to refrain from intoxicating drinks and drugs which lead to carelessness.</li>
</ol>
</blockquote>
<p>Here's a reminder of Right Livelihood from <a href="https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an05/an05.177.than.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">AN 5.177</a>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>&quot;A lay follower should not engage in five types of business. Which
five? Business in weapons, business in human beings, business in meat,
business in intoxicants, and business in poison.&quot;</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Here's a summary of Right Speech from <a href="https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn45/sn45.008.than.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">SN 45.8</a>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>&quot;And what is right speech? Abstaining from lying, from divisive
speech, from abusive speech, &amp; from idle chatter: This is called right
speech.&quot;</p>
</blockquote>
