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Can someone really criticize something without being manipulative? In the essay “Ways of Seeing” by John Berger, he discusses the idea of mystification. Berger states that mystification is “the process of explaining away what might otherwise be evident” (112). He also states that the upper class mystifies us to stay in control; without being able to see things in our own way. With this being done we are “cut off” from our right to understand ourselves and situate ourselves into a role in society (Berger 127). I agree with Berger, the ruling class has made all forms of art surround us like a language does, in which, art no longer has power has it once did. Seemingly very few people are aware that reproduction of art has caused the illusion that art has not changed, but only the people and this cause mystification. We all can look at art and come up with an idea of what the image is suppose to represent. Our conclusions are shaped by our personal experiences and our own preconceived notions, which are like Berger says, “whole series of learnt assumptions about art. Assumptions that include “beauty, truth genius, civilization, form, status, taste, etc.” (108)”. However these assumptions obscure the past,