The power of art to transform society is unparalleled. Part of the beauty, lies in its transgressive nature and its ability to open up new potential realities and ways of being. The inspiration to create is interconnected with the inherent suffering and impulse to destruct that is intrinsic to the human experience. The wholeness of human experiences enrich our lives and yet move us to transcend their impermanence. In Brave new world, it was posited that beauty and art were the trade-offs for a comatose-like state of ceaseless euphoria. Most understood this novel to be a warning of a dystopian future that was incredibly probable based on the discourse prevalent in elite circles at the time. And yet, modern culture has normalized the commodification of art and creativity and encouraged overconsumption as the new opium of the masses. Whether it be porn, alcohol, drugs, shopping addictions, gambling, there is a flavor of instant gratification and superficial pleasure that is readily available for you. Globalization has moved us all toward a monoculture, sending us online for adoption into the attention economy, drip feeding us content that stimulates dopamine, replacing real world community with online false substitutions of genuine interaction. The earliest internet adopters, those who were involved in its creation, had greater hopes for the potential of these technologies to democratize industries and provide opportunities for connection. These optimistic aspirations have borne some real accomplishments, and technology is an incredible tool to learn, explore, and share. Despite this, the majority of ‘big tech’ companies have a near monopoly on the industry, and they yield incredible power and control over society, with social engineering, censorship and data analysis among some of the most nefarious elements. These companies, which typically refer to Microsoft, Meta, Apple, Amazon and Alphabet in the West, have the power to control what search results are promoted, which content is censored (or shadow banned), and according to experts such as Robert Epstein, directly manipulate results to achieve desired outcomes. In this environment, it is very difficult to be a contrarian voice, or a transgressive artist. Alongside this, has been a coordinated effort to ‘cancel’ people or opinions seen as discordant to the establishment status quo. This is incredibly dangerous and certainly not conducive to progress in society. We must be free to disagree with the establishment, without fear of retribution without due process. The very nature of the scientific process is to be challenged, to rigorous scrutiny and to truth, insofar as we can reach any objective truth. Art and creativity can be seen in ways, as the inverse of the scientific discipline, in that ambiguity is encouraged and the concepts being explored are boundless, without need for structure or consensus through data, theory or materialism. The human proclivity for creation, whether through art, music, symbology, myth making, dancing, skillful mastery of anything, is the light in the darkness, the way forward for humanity. We can all choose how we want to live, if we consider what is truly possible and what is necessary for a joyful life. There is no utopian future that is utopian for all, thus we must find common interests and use the wisdom of ancient peoples who have come before us. We can begin to build communities centered around meaningful work, beautiful buildings that inspire, healthy food grown locally, positive communication and real life skills. We must not run away from the parts of ourselves that we try to repress, but integrate these shadow parts to become whole, understanding their significance. Once we are healthier as individuals we can be healthier as communities. We must rediscover the sacredness of life, and as David Lynch says, live the art life.
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