HA NOI (VNS)—  Literature and art made solely for profit has contributed to declining social morality in Viet Nam in recent decades, art researchers said during a seminar in Ha Noi.

Participants at the seminar on Tuesday and Wednesday said that the country is facing a growing moral disorder. Art quality and morality is decreasing, they said.

Stage, film and music have become platforms for mere entertainment, as opposed to being used for education, as in the past, said Nguyen Hong Vinh, an associate professor and chairwoman of the Central Council for Literature and Art's Theory and Criticism.

"Many art works lack character, and often forget functions of orientation, moral education and personality in society," Vinh said.

Many artists do try to incorporate social morals into their work, but they still rarely succeed in making great art because they are too focused on commercial success, he said.

They rarely uphold traditional national values, he added. Instead, authors, musicians, photographers and other types of artists focus on promoting themselves and showing off their talents for profit, instead of trying to educate or contribute to society.

This shows that artists are becoming less mindful and creative, Vinh said. Many modern works lack good writing, creativity and plot.

Money and fame

Dang Nhat Minh, a film director, said more people have started making films or other kinds of art merely for the money and fame.

"There are very few films with national, traditional characters and values, compared with the more commercial films," he said. "Films focusing on making money should never enter Viet Nam's body of classical, quality works."

Many participants agreed that improving the quality of literature and art would help raise low social morality. They said that relevant agencies should clarify existing rules on managing information sent online – in blogs and on Facebook – and punish people for creating works that violate traditional habits and customs.

When writing about social morality, artists should try to capture the truth, participants said. — VNS