Sometimes everything seems fine but that's because we are frequently turning a blind eye to the problems in society. A lot of us just learned to not care and go about our day. But if we stop for a second we’ll notice that there are failing systems that were built to favor a minority, fraud, modern slavery, poverty, social media addiction. It is mind-boggling to think that these problems have lasted for so long that they no longer feel like issues to us. And to express all of these issues there is nothing better than art! In this article, we collected 40 great works of art that show what kind of social problems our society faces.
Change
Just imagine, you're walking to the store to get some groceries. Your back aches because you have to carry this heavy backpack which also happens to be an oxygen tank that's connected to the mask you're wearing on your nose. The year is 2050.
This might be our new reality in the next few decades if we all don't stop and think a second. Millions of dollars plucked as trees every single day and this really needs to change...
Electricity Depression
Nothing initiates depression like an electricity bill. If you added up all the money you've had to pay for electricity in the last five years, you'll probably be rich enough to build two houses, furnish them and still have some change left.
Electricity, a renewable source of energy. With some smart ingenuity combined with a few gifts from mother nature, we can almost have it for free. But the irony is that electricity so highly overpriced or is just absent in so many places around the world.
Trashy Food
Eating healthy food seems like a basic thing, right? Illness and diseases have got nothing on you with the kind of immunity you’ll get from some good, clean, healthy food. But it seems like we humans deliberately cut our life span short with trashy food.
On top of that, children eat junk food even from an early age and it becomes a normality. We can all agree that this world would be better if we take responsibility for our own health and the health of our children.
Lifestyle
Every single of us, consciously or subconsciously, is searching for happiness. But sometimes we are just searching in the wrong places. The pursuit of money, Instagram fame, and materialistic pleasure is just a mask for happiness.
People are way better off if we stop confusing happiness with a short-lasting feeling of excitement. Genuine happiness is long-lasting and permanent. It is almost independent of external factors. It is a lifestyle.
Comment Section.
The “smart” opinions of millions of people communicated through a keyboard and sent to a satellite and delivered straight into your pocket. Ladies and gentlemen, that is the comment section.
It is often slightly painful but mostly disgusting to read the comments in many social media posts. Unfortunately, some people look for life advice from those people who do the commenting. There is no perfect formula for life, they are as confused as we all are.
Unique
Everyone likes to think that they are walking a unique path in life, that their journey is independent and different from others. We all imagine that we have different destinations and so we take different paths.
But the reality is a shocker. Many people have boring, typical lives. And at the end of the day, we all have the same destination. So do something crazy, be truly unique, and enjoy life!
Reliable Person
Someone dressed up nicely and acting professionally is often perceived as a reliable person. But quite often those in a suit and tie that seem so trustworthy are the slimiest people out there.
Usually, it’s our politicians, lawyers, or greedy corporate businessmen that are dressed in a suit and tie. And usually, it’s nothing but garbage coming from them when they talk. For some reason, they also often do the talking...
Fictional Novel
Long ago, the press used to be independent. Publishing was verified and factual news broadcasted to the public. Today the news is more like a fictional novel and each channel has an agenda.
The freedom of the press along with its quality is long dead and replaced with dishonest crappy media. Anyone with a phone can be a source of information that is presented on the news. So, let’s take a moment of silence and mourn journalism.
War Machine
Gunshots, bloodshed, lost lives, destruction, and extreme violence, people fleeing their homes and leaving everything behind. Those are just some consequences of any war. But for some people war is good business.
Power-thirsty leaders, if they can even be called leaders, take advantage of conflicts and wars. They view them as an opportunity, and the opportunity is often in the shape of money. Innocent people are recruited and used as pawns while the war machine makes money.
Brutal
People eat a lot of eggs. We eat them as they are or add them to a lot of our products, we buy them in big packs and we don’t think a thing about it.
But the egg industry is a brutal one...Brutal for the hens. The conditions they are kept in are questionable and so is the treatment. We think of the industry as farming, but is it really farming?
Knowledge
Knowledge is power. It can properly shape society and provide a path for people to thrive and have good lives. But most people take the shortcut to knowledge and watch TV.
Today fewer and fewer people work hard to obtain knowledge through books, research, and quality education. Information is cheap and easy to access. The “mini TV set” that we carry around in our pockets changed the very fabric of our society.
Rolled Out
Success, power, and fame are all relative. Politicians climb up the ladder of power regardless of the means. The red carpet is rolled out wherever they go and no one sees what is underneath that carpet or why it’s even rolled out.
But if we were to take a look under the carpet we might find something shocking. Many politicians are welcomed in other countries out of fear and not respect. This picture represents that best.
Islands
We all know the wonders technology does, especially when it comes to communication. It allows us to communicate regardless of distance and time, it’s just one click on your phone. It is almost magic.
But we also ignore the evils of technology and how it has pushed us to create islands of loneliness. Not everyone of course, but many of us forgot what it’s really like to communicate face to face.
Donkeys
Just like a donkey, we have blinders. But our blinders are not a piece of leather, it’s our phones! We prefer the Instagram perfect life to real life and stare at our stupid phones all day.
Just think about it, some cities had to paint crossed-out phone signs with the phrase “Look Up” at the beginning of pedestrian crossings. This picture is really the perfect representation of how ridiculous this has become.
Feel Better
We all need a safe space in our lives. For some, it’s a confession box where you can reveal your sins and feel better about yourself. For some, it’s Facebook where you can post a status and also feel better about yourself.
People go on social media and reveal their lives to millions of total strangers. We share personal information and don’t think anything about it. There really is no such thing as privacy in today's world...
Absurd Reality
The year when pilots were forced to change careers completely was no other than 2020. Within a few weeks, airlines around the world grounded their planes and everything went to a stop.
No one would ever think that pilots who are always in short supply will need to look for a new job. But the pandemic did what it did and everything was turned upside down. This picture perfectly demonstrates the absurdness of this reality.
Better Life
Everyone wants a better life. One where they're more comfortable. No one wants to remain on the same spot. A better car, a bigger house, more money, and the list goes on.
However, we forget that we're not here forever. Materialistic things are nice but what good will they do if they are not changing our lives for the better. What’s the point of having a fancy car if you're still going to be stuck in traffic on your way to the rat race.
Dating Apps
Striking a conversation with a stranger that you like is how most of our parents met each other. After that, they spent some quality time together that cemented the foundation of their relationship.
Today we let technology get in the way of that. Hiding behind our phones, we go on silly dating apps and try to find someone to go out with. All you really have to do is come up to a stranger you like.
Egg-laying
This is another really great illustration that shows what is exactly wrong with the egg industry and how messed up it is. We kill "waste" male chicks and squeeze everything out from the egg-laying hens.
As a society, we really need to start reconsidering how we get our eggs and adopt some changes. We are not saying quit eating eggs but cage-free and organic eggs might just be the answer.
Enough Money
There is enough money and resources in the world for everyone to have decent lives. But the way our society is built there is an entirely different picture. Greed is everywhere.
Greedy people accumulate more money than they really need. Wealth is good when it’s spent wisely. But when you shove your guts with money like this guy in the picture, you might want to reconsider what is the purpose of your life.
Glued
Earlier we mentioned that the internet provides us with the luxury of getting any information we want with just the click of a button. This has proven to be both a blessing and a curse.
We forgot the importance of picking up a book, or at least a newspaper, to read. On top of that, we somewhat stigmatize those who do so. We really need to figure out a way to be less glued to our devices.
Smile
No one wants to be seen as sad, lonely, and depressed. Even though that is the reality of a lot of people out there. Some people carry emotional burdens inside of them but put on a smile for the rest of the world to see.
Pretending that everything is fine and under control in your life is not going to make you happy. Figuring out what is wrong and what needs to be changed will.
Cages
There is much our minds are capable of, we really can achieve anything if we set our mind to it. The power of positive thinking will help you to take the right steps and the sky's the limit.
Unfortunately, many people set mental cages for themselves. Self-doubt gets in the way and next thing you know you feel like this picture shows. We are our own worst enemies at times.
Objects
It’s no secret that the problem of portraying women as sex objects has been in the media for some time now. But ever since Social Media became a thing it got worse.
People, in general, crave attention, and on social media that feeling is amplified by a whole lot more. When you are a confused teen you will post pictures of yourself that you really shouldn’t just to get that “social approval” like.
Pumping
Money is important. We need money to take care of ourselves and it’s a really important tool in our lives. But the problem we have with money is that we attach too much importance to it.
Some people dedicate their very existence to just making money. Like this illustrated fat businessman who is about to burst from all the money, he is pumping in. We are also not so sure why he would be levitating...
Clothes
Clothes are meant to cover up our bodies, make us feel comfortable and beautiful. We can even express ourselves with what we wear. But what we really shouldn’t be doing is bragging about our clothes and most importantly buying more than we need.
People wear price tags as clothes, brands are glorified, comfort and functionality are forgotten. The shopping problem we have is not far-fetched, after all, the entire industry is focused on making you do compulsive spending.
Looks Matter
Looks matter! Being neat, clean, and pleasant is important. When you look good, you feel good. And that is the only real reason looks matter. But it doesn't mean you need to be perfect, no one is.
Unfortunately, our society messed this one up as well, especially when it comes to women. Women are pressured by society to create for themselves the perfect body and appearance to be accepted by society.
Therapeutic
Surprisingly, watching the sunset can be very therapeutic. Somehow, unsettled nerves are silenced and you feel at peace with nature. The air is fresh and every breath taken is a refreshment.
But just like with a lot of things we ruin, this one we ruined as well. We turned everything into a photography contest! Just take a quick picture, enjoy the rest of the sunset and soak that beautiful moment in.
Our Taxes
Politicians, who earn a living from tax money, are meant to create laws and develop our society are really just a bunch of clowns. And this goes to almost all the countries.
Neglecting why they were voted into the office in the first place they spend their days doing pretty much nothing. Well, they do something just not what they are meant to do and this illustration represents that spot on.
Symbol
The previous picture perfectly showed us what is happening on the inside. This one shows us what it looks like on the outside when it comes to politicians gathering in one place.
Just like with the previous example this one is accurate with any country out there. The White House is one of the most recognizable political symbols so the message is relatable. But this can easily be replaced with any other workplace of a world leader.
Obsessed
By now we already know that people are very obsessed with money and this picture shows us how much. We all know that money doesn't buy happiness but we are still so obsessed with it that we can’t figure out why.
Life is so short, you are not going to make all the money in the world, so learn how to let go of that desire. Happiness is what we should be chasing.
Race
For a lot of people in the world, life is just a rat race. The kind where they compete with each other for money, power, status and other things that drain the energy out of you and are not that important.
Unfortunately, many people fail to see that they are becoming more and more like hamsters in a wheel stuck in one spot. Moving forward in life is not moving up the corporate ladder.
Root
There are a lot of problems in our society that are caused by addiction. Addiction is the root of all evil. In the case of this cool illustration, the addiction is video games and the roots are growing from you know where.
"Just one more hour" and before you know it, the whole day went by and you were doing nothing but playing Call of Duty. Our video game addiction is steadily growing stronger and stronger with every new generation...
Distorted Perception
Men often create their own reality with a very distorted perception of what it really is to be a strong man. For the strangest reason, we see alcohol consumption as something that makes us strong and tough.
The reality is that if someone drinks a lot they ruin their health, gain a beer belly and just become obese alcoholics. So next time you are having a drink, remember it only makes you drunk and nothing more.
Banks
Originally banks were meant for keeping money in them. But that is no longer the case in our weird society. Instead of keeping money in banks we mostly borrow money from them nowadays.
We almost accepted this as a normal fact of life. We have plastic cards in our pockets that help us with staying in debt and owing more money to the bank. We really need to start thinking of how to change this...
Hunger
Hunger is not just not having enough to eat, it’s also a lack of nutrition. Shortage of vitamins and important minerals is one of the main reasons people develop deadly diseases around the world.
But the irony of this situation is that there is enough food in the world to feed everyone. The way we use resources is what causes hunger. Some people have more than they need and some have nothing. We need to start thinking of sharing...
App Addicts
Social media, a very powerful creation and equally a very dangerous one. The way society is shaped has changed ever since the creation of smartphones and other devices where we get our social media fix.
It seems like there is a new social media app every week and we might need to stop coming up with more of them. This image is a powerful representation of the situation we are in.
No Good News
Nowadays almost everyone hates listening to the mainstream news. It serves as a constant reminder of how messed up we are. When listening to the news it’s almost as if they are trying to make you feel depressed.
There is never any good news that is broadcasted. But the worst part about today's mainstream media is that it is becoming increasingly difficult to differentiate between what is real and what is not.
Act
Politicians use the media as a tool. A tool where they can deliver biased or misleading information. They promote their political causes and don’t really care about real issues people are facing.
It is all one big act that is put on in front of an audience. The act of course differs depending on the audience of the channel but there is always an agenda. Propaganda has been around for many centuries and unfortunately looks like it’s here to stay.
Aerial bomb
A broken wooden throne supported by an aerial bomb, with a completely destroyed city in the background. What a picture! Unfortunately, it is applicable to so many places around the world and at different points of history.
Relationships between war and politics have always been present and there is always an element of power. Throughout human history the nature of war didn’t really change, we just changed our methods of fighting.