Laurie Anderson's answer to Caroline's question (18/10/02, washingtonpost.com):

Q: Do you intend that your art should achieve change in some palpable way to parts of society or are you happy and satisfied with affecting, moving. delighting and charming people with your work?

A: "I myself have been changed by works of art that I've seen. On the surface changing people is not my goal. It's too close to propaganda. By that I mean artists have powerful tools of words, colors and sounds and these tools are not necessarily the right ones to use in affecting change. However, artists and let's say, for example, politicians, often will walk on common ground. Politicians here in the U.S. are using the concepts of good and evil to explain their political positions. So these are huge concepts that sometimes artists deal with as well, but hopefully artists don't clobber people over the head with obvious or cliched meanings of those terms. besides, we're not issuing marching orders to anyone. I think art essentially has no purpose, however, I myself try to look at things in new and hopefully more subtle ways. Do I hope to change the world? In a way I love the world as it is."