Bret Easton Ellis's 'White' critiques likeability culture in art

Bret Easton Ellis's new book 'White' (Bianco), published nine years after his last novel, blends non-fiction, memoir, and socio-cultural criticism. The book centers on the concept of 'likeability' (translated as 'relazionabilità'), which Ellis argues has led to self-censorship, hypocrisy, and conformity in contemporary Western culture. He contrasts this with art's true function: to disturb, challenge comfort zones, and allow seeing through others' eyes. Ellis asserts that likeability is antithetical to art and cultural experimentation, promoting self-promotion over content. He criticizes a culture that avoids suffering and distrusts human independence, preferring compliant, fearful individuals. Christian Caliandro, an art historian and author of the article, contextualizes Ellis's arguments within a broader cultural bubble and fiction that is now tearing, yet people desperately try to patch it rather than embrace reality. The article was published on Artribune in January 2020.