This mentality bothers me so much. I see it as the other side of the "true art requires and excuses emotional maladjustment" coin. Art can be challenging to make. It can dredge up pain. At the end of the day though, it's a celebration of living. It doesn't have to hurt.

Absolutely. It encourages so many thoroughly mediocre “artists” to cultivate horrible personalities and habits so they can feel more authentic. William Burroughs was stunned anyone could read Naked Lunch and think “I should do more drugs.” The cautionary tale is misread as a recruiting poster.