I think this late comment from Kristine kind of summarizes it [it: edited, added]. It would be nice to get this done with less groping, less raping, less stealing, less lying.
I agree, we are all imperfect in a world that doesn’t behave the way we want.
And I agree with what we call art being conceived to make money. Please call me a liar if I tell you that if someone comes to me and tells me they give me $50k to write a book with 50 poems in a month and I will turn them down in the name of artistic integrity or something like that.
I would take the $100k (I guess my wage just went up!) and write 50 poems. Some will be good, most will be bad. And then I will go and laugh all the way to the bank while I try not to grope anyone!
Or be groped. Ok, you give me a 150k for 50 poems and you have the right to grope me, I guess. Just me, dear reader who is not Alan! If you want to touch anyone else after you pay them any money for poetry you better ask them first!
If you pay me the aforementioned $200k for 50 poems, be my guess, but I may change my mind at any time. (Remember, yes today doesn’t mean yes always, right?)
But yes, where I was trying to go with the Utopia deal, Alan is, as an artist, I would like a world where art encourages us to look at different things, in different directions.
I mean, I think the reason why so many people want a pick up truck or large SUV is because art (or yes, I’m with you, marketers) stimulates our imagination with such ideas.
We see someone drive a fast car in a movie, they want to drive a car.
They see someone playing gangster, they want to buy guns and use them.
They see some girl and instead of asking them out or paying whatever she asks, they put something on her drink and rape her.
So, yes.
My hope, if I can call myself an artist, is twofold.
Maybe to engage people’s imagination beyond “I want an SUV just to own an SUV .” I have nothing against SUVs actually, if you live somewhere were an SUV is needed, with rural dirt roads and all and you have 5 kids, I guess you need it.
If you want it to be fancy and have big wheels and impress others, be honest and say that.
Sorry, Alan. I’m digressing terribly.
The other reason of doing art for me is to tell stories about me. Because I don’t have many friends, and I think if I would they would not want to read my crap.
So thank you for engaging and pondering about this ideas.
Again, sorry for the rambling in this response.
Pablo