Staying in the comfort zone is a human nature that everyone has. It makes sense in a survival aspect, what we tested was safe and it works, there’s no need to risk anymore. However, I found it’s very fascinating of human civilization that there are people that always want to leave the shelter, figure out something new, or better. This desire conflicts with the nature of staying in the comfort zone. Yet it is precisely this tension that drives progress.
The early 20th century was a period when this conflict became especially visible in art. Movements like Cubism, Futurism, Surrealism, and Bauhaus emerged not only as aesthetic revolutions but also as cultural responses to rapid industrialization, war, and shifting social values. These artists broke traditions, in doing so often shocked or offended audiences who were accustomed to harmony, realism, and familiar style or form. They dismantled the comfort zone of art history and offered new ways of seeing, feeling, and imagining.
Even today we’re still experiencing these “offensive” changes. For example AI, The emergence of AI has undoubtedly plunged many into panic and resistance. Similarly, new-era feminism and anti-discrimination movements can make those accustomed to outdated ideas and social norms feel offended or threatened. Yet this offense is a positive sign—it shows we’re moving forward. One day, most people will no longer be offended by these ideas, just as we now freely appreciate Dadaism and Bauhaus without viewing them as challenges.