A good case can be made that spirit is the basis for everything human. Desiring to move my arm, I move it if I am in the mood, if the spirit to do so moves me.
There was a Hagar, the Horrible, cartoon that showed a priest-type leader who marched in front of a band of men and began to speak to them. By the end of his speech, the men were aroused and ready to complete their mission. They were moved by the spirit. They were en-theo-sed -- the god of action had entered them and they were enthused, empowered by spoken words.
An old question is whether the mind or matter/material is the foundation of the world. You can go round and round on the question but for human beings in normal circumstances, the motivation, the spirit seems basic. In fact, if someone is highly motivated, they may find a way to overcome obstacles but if they aren't motivated, no other obstacles are needed to stop their actions.
So, whether it is a song, a poem, a story, a rally, a speech or a movie, the words and the music can empower. Isn't that amazing? Words - puffs of air or marks on paper- and music - puffs of air- can strengthen will and desire and produce movement, action, accomplishment. That means that art in many forms is a strong force in the world. The ancient Greeks thought that an orator, a speaker, was a highly educated, valuable citizen, a model of achievement that the society could be proud of.
True, in today's world, everyone tries with writing, persuasion, ads, fads, rhetoric to create movements of the sort they desire, for their party, their product, their church. We have to keep our attention ours and direct it consciously since everyone wants it. It is also true that once I develop the motivation to do something, whether it is weeding or writing or cooking, I can lock onto that motivation and no longer attend to other streams of words, music or images. I then have a mission, an interest. But when my interest flags or the job is done, some art or other may again energize me with new spirit.
