'If a cat suddenly started speaking to you it would probably lead you to believe that it's an all wise cat, full of wisdom and special knowledge.
It's not. It's just a cat. A cat that can talk.'
I was thinking about the white noise of certain areas of the 'Artistic Community'. We've all heard it. Pounding at our eyeballs. Making us grind our teeth and clench our butt cheeks in embarrassment.
If you haven't. This is for you.
Is there really so little depth. Faked introspection seems not only commonplace but seriously the norm. The areas of true introspection are never spoken about like some kind of sad mental illness. I am having trouble finding the words but the nearest I can get is that people seem to live only at the front of their brains, at the most obvious areas. They don't seem to ponder or consider in any depth. They scatter shot thoughts and opinions, turning the page quickly without an in depth inner conversation. Always keen to pass onto the next thing. Living in that moment, deciding that they got a shot of brain dopamine and moving on full of self regard like they are some kind of fucking genius.
'I'm an actor.'
'I'm an artist.'
'I'm a musician.'
'I'm a writer.'
'I'm a creative.'
Let's face it. Chances are that if they are telling you any of the above experience has told us that it's probably not true.
They act out like they deserve to act out. They copy and pander and give lip service to the true side of personality. They say phrases they have heard, wear clothes that they see others wear, like things that they are programmed to think are cool or that they think they should like for their own deluded particular self image.
Create who you think you should be seems to be the motto of the western world. Not be something that you are or are meant to be. 'Follow your dream', 'start the journey', 'this is what I have wanted all my life' said the 18 year old! How many deluded musicians, artists, writers etc have you met. All image and no talent?
Is it that certain books or comics or movies are actually good? We know deep down that they are not but we scream and talk and repeat random phrases. We buy bobble heads. We don't become nay sayers or doubters until it's cool to be that person. We sense the rise and the decline of things and we follow the pack.
This stops true creativity. You are not an artist because you copy or trace, you are not a musician because you imitate. True art will always be the environment of the outsider. Never wantonly popular. Always never at the party. Never part of the jumping, screaming, chanting crowd.
Everyone seems to be combining chasing that rabbit down its burrow or putting the cart before the horse.
The world of popular culture is full of the above and more. Writing in comics seems to have a number of offenders. People who are writing to the particular crowd is and should be a valued commodity but not if it panders to a group or demographic. It encourages the stupidity of the tribe and not the emergence of the individual.
Comics are a thing. They are a thing that is to be appreciated and not exploited. Don't think 'I'll write a glam rock/cutesy animal/zombie/vampire/giant robot/superhero/spy book' (etc) and then that tribe will buy it and scramble for me at conventions and signings. Fill my tumblr with facile comments or retweet my cutesy and obviously shallowly unfunny tweets. Write about any of those subjects, just do it if you have a genuine story to tell. Something that doesn't pander.
Art can only be described as art. Art should always come first and the quirky personality a long way behind.
Just get off your arse and do it. Don't theorise it or spend more time on your image than what you create.
Thanks for reading.
NIA.
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