Creativity in the Online World.
I've spent the past 6 hours in my tiny dorm room. You'd think I'd be going insane, but surprisingly, I've found it fairly therapeutic. I'm not in a rush to see anyone; I know there'll be time for that later. Today, I wrote this: If you have the time and interest, you can read it, or skim it. It talks about you guys, sometimes.
April and May have been rough on me, especially the first few weeks of May. I've been suffering from something, I honestly don't really know. Estrangement? For a while I was separated from one of my good friends, and took solace with another in the fact that our lives ran parallel: both of us seemed to be suffering from a lack of creative expression. The base concepts were there, but something in our brain, some lethargy, kept us from fully pursuing our endeavors.
On top of that I've been struggling with inactivity on a grander scale; in particular my reluctance to help in the issue areas I care most about: Environment, humanitarian efforts, sexual/cultural efforts. Recently I've gained some new insight, some new inner calm that has allowed me to slow down and address this issues, at least the creative ones, that is. I'm still working on getting up the willpower to do what I care about on a more selfless level
I'm digressing a great deal here, most readers at this point might be confused as to why I titled this little rant Creativity in the Online World and not "Listen to me bitch and make excuses for my inactivity".
In the face of my issues, I withdrew. I found it incredibly difficult to communicate to anyone, and preferred the company of myself to anyone else, with the exception of the person who I felt parallel too. And what did I do?
I turned to the internet, and, in particular, Ze Frank. I am refraining from using the term escapism here, because I truly believe that is NOT what I was doing. Instead, I was meditating. Trying to figure out exactly what was stunting my extroversion and optimism, two characteristics I pride myself very much on. This bizarre man with unblinking asymmetrical eyes was telling me something. I watched every episode of the show.
I think it was the last 5 episodes of the show that triggered my...recovery. Triggered, not created. Perhaps aided would be a more appropriate term.
Ze Frank, in a segment on creativity, talks about going from 0-1. He compares any creative project to a sudoku puzzle. You can't just look at all the blank spaces and know how it will turn out. You have to start with one number, in one column, and then build off that. For those of you who don't do sudoku (like me) I think the crossword puzzle is a perfectly acceptable alternative to the simile.
So I started to break down my panic attacks into its component parts. And here they are, in shorthand (and isn't all expression the art of communication in short-hand? Yes? No?). Here they are, as I am terrified of writing this, as I feel that I will fail in communicating my epiphanies and struggles with you. As I fear that you don't even care to read this, that you would think of me as self-involved, that you will understand me fully, but not in the way I want you to. I'm just typing one word at a time, going from 0 to 1 to 2 to 3.
Major parts of my dilemma:
1. How does one live selflessly as an artist? What do I contribute to the world through artistic expression? This was tied to the feeling that I'm not currently helping out in "issue areas".
2. How do I adjust to such a rapidly evolving media system? Does studying for theater really mean anything these days, or even film? This evoked a great deal of panic for a while, this feeling that I will be left out in the future because I'm not jumping on the internet bandwagon.
I do not think that this is the only thing that was weighing down my mind in the past few weeks, but regardless, they are two of the biggest. I'm not even going down the road of "relationships" *shudder*
So breaking these issues down to a more manageable level helped me address them.
I went to my teachers office on Friday, but he wasn't there, so I'm planning on going this upcoming Friday. He is a staunch, active environmentalist, and a very moral, intelligent person, in my opinion. I took international relations from him last term, and emailed him a while that I wanted to meet and talk to him about how I can help in this world.
Most importantly, I need to abandon the fear that I CAN'T help in the world. I cannot, cannot, cannot, cannot, afford to believe anything but that I CAN HELP (the caps mean I'm serious). That sort of pessimism gets me nowhere. I need to first accept that my actions have consequences, and those consequences can be a positive change.
On to problem two.
The internet is, without a doubt, shaping how we view our world, shaping the world itself more than anything has since the printing press. The only thing that rivals the constructive power of the internet is the destructive power of the nuclear bomb. And yes, I believe it is constructive, and at times, helpful to people.
It aids some artists.
*A few years ago, a group of three boys filmed silly videos and put them online, now, because of their website, they work for Saturday Night Live, and may actually save the show. Dick in a Box, Lazy Sunday, Natalie Portman rap, you know their stuff. The Dudes, the Lonely Island. http://www.thelonelyisland.com/
*Two nerds obsessed with videogames made a comic revolving around their alter-egos and video game jokes. Now, Mike Krahulik and Jerry Holkins have donated over two million dollars to children's hospitals around the world for toys, games, and books. www.Penny-Arcade.com
*Ze Frank, a man made semi-famous for a joke video he did on "how to dance" has done some pretty amazing stuff himself, helping people be creative every day.
www.Zefrank.com, in particular:
http://www.zefrank.com/theshow/archives/2007/03/031207.html
http://www.zefrank.com/theshow/archives/2006/07/071106.html
So, in the face of this looming cultural mega-milestone, it's hard not to react with some amount of terror. But in truth, the internet is about humanity. It can't be about anything else. It's humans talking to humans, humans creating, humans arguing, humans showing their bodies, their ideas, their opinions and sadness and everything else that is possibly human. It's astounding, simply astounding, and in no way should be taken lightly.
Online we can trade tips on how to be more "green". We can share ideas and information on what the best cars to drive are, what corporations abuse fair trade. And to people who make jokes about the credibility of information on the internet, just because something is more accessible does not intrinsically make it less credible. Just don't believe everything you read, as always.
In fact, as the rate which we learn new things grows faster and faster, the way we present new information must grow with it.
I asked you all to answer some questions about the internet, and all of it was really interesting. Joss Walker had something really interesting to say about technology:
"With visual arts, you have a general progression from smudged pigment to paints and brushes etc, until eventually the photograph comes along, and the whole things gets all meta-freaked out and out of control. You can take pictures, paint them, take a picture of them, paint them, etc. Technology provides spaces *composed of our creations* to create in. Printing comes along and all of a sudden the art is an idea, not a thing.
Computers are for creative culture in general what the camera was to visual appreciation. As they improve, they ideally eliminate the tedium of execution, providing better and better shortcuts to the imagined, as well as aiding the imagination itself."
I found that fascinating. But Stephanie Reisfeld also brings up a good point:
"I don't think it aids or detracts. I do think it stunts, or at least postpones me from engaging in creative outlets, but see below. I think it's mostly because I don't know how to use my computer in that manner... pretty much what I'm saying is yes, I do think I'd look at the internet differently if I knew how to use it in a creative manner. I would love to broaden my creative range!"
So the technology may provide us with shortcuts to communication, art, etc...but it takes more work to become proficient enough in the technology to gain the benefits of the shortcuts. But our generation is practically born into the blossoming era, so we have a better chance of learning these tools.
I think Ryan McGuire summed up my thoughts pretty efficiently when he wrote, " Yes, The Internet helps me be Creative. On the net, I get to see things I wouldn't get to see anyplace else, which add to my Creativity." How's that for a direct acknowledgment of the benefits of the 'net?
So I cannot resist it. There is nothing to gain from doing so. Does that mean I cannot choose to ignore it from time to time, to be onstage? Of course not. I love being onstage, it makes me happier than almost anything else in the world. Rehearsing my monologue was another reason for my "recovery". And I hope that the internet does not replace books ever (but then again, the environmentalist in me screams out that it should).
So what am I doing here? Why did I write this convoluted and way-too-long essay on the internet and creativity? I don't really know...but it's a step. It's me actively doing something with the thoughts in my head.
One final note: I tend to think differently, and express myself differently when I'm in discussion with someone. So if you disagree, or agree, or are completely confused with any of this, please bring it up with me, in person, on the internet, whatever.
Whatever the case, the one point I will never fold on is that the internet is one of the most important, radical evolutions of our society. It's still too new to say exactly what is going to come of it, but for better or for worse, it's here.
This is an introduction: I plan on blogging a lot more, thoughts on the internet and art and everything. Hopefully this long, rambling and self-involved blog hasn't turned any of you off to reading further material. Especially because I'm not editing it before I put it online. I'm far too lazy for that.
I've spent the past 6 hours in my tiny dorm room. You'd think I'd be going insane, but surprisingly, I've found it fairly therapeutic. I'm not in a rush to see anyone; I know there'll be time for that later. Today, I wrote this: If you have the time and interest, you can read it, or skim it. It talks about you guys, sometimes.
April and May have been rough on me, especially the first few weeks of May. I've been suffering from something, I honestly don't really know. Estrangement? For a while I was separated from one of my good friends, and took solace with another in the fact that our lives ran parallel: both of us seemed to be suffering from a lack of creative expression. The base concepts were there, but something in our brain, some lethargy, kept us from fully pursuing our endeavors.
On top of that I've been struggling with inactivity on a grander scale; in particular my reluctance to help in the issue areas I care most about: Environment, humanitarian efforts, sexual/cultural efforts. Recently I've gained some new insight, some new inner calm that has allowed me to slow down and address this issues, at least the creative ones, that is. I'm still working on getting up the willpower to do what I care about on a more selfless level
I'm digressing a great deal here, most readers at this point might be confused as to why I titled this little rant Creativity in the Online World and not "Listen to me bitch and make excuses for my inactivity".
In the face of my issues, I withdrew. I found it incredibly difficult to communicate to anyone, and preferred the company of myself to anyone else, with the exception of the person who I felt parallel too. And what did I do?
I turned to the internet, and, in particular, Ze Frank. I am refraining from using the term escapism here, because I truly believe that is NOT what I was doing. Instead, I was meditating. Trying to figure out exactly what was stunting my extroversion and optimism, two characteristics I pride myself very much on. This bizarre man with unblinking asymmetrical eyes was telling me something. I watched every episode of the show.
I think it was the last 5 episodes of the show that triggered my...recovery. Triggered, not created. Perhaps aided would be a more appropriate term.
Ze Frank, in a segment on creativity, talks about going from 0-1. He compares any creative project to a sudoku puzzle. You can't just look at all the blank spaces and know how it will turn out. You have to start with one number, in one column, and then build off that. For those of you who don't do sudoku (like me) I think the crossword puzzle is a perfectly acceptable alternative to the simile.
So I started to break down my panic attacks into its component parts. And here they are, in shorthand (and isn't all expression the art of communication in short-hand? Yes? No?). Here they are, as I am terrified of writing this, as I feel that I will fail in communicating my epiphanies and struggles with you. As I fear that you don't even care to read this, that you would think of me as self-involved, that you will understand me fully, but not in the way I want you to. I'm just typing one word at a time, going from 0 to 1 to 2 to 3.
Major parts of my dilemma:
1. How does one live selflessly as an artist? What do I contribute to the world through artistic expression? This was tied to the feeling that I'm not currently helping out in "issue areas".
2. How do I adjust to such a rapidly evolving media system? Does studying for theater really mean anything these days, or even film? This evoked a great deal of panic for a while, this feeling that I will be left out in the future because I'm not jumping on the internet bandwagon.
I do not think that this is the only thing that was weighing down my mind in the past few weeks, but regardless, they are two of the biggest. I'm not even going down the road of "relationships" *shudder*
So breaking these issues down to a more manageable level helped me address them.
I went to my teachers office on Friday, but he wasn't there, so I'm planning on going this upcoming Friday. He is a staunch, active environmentalist, and a very moral, intelligent person, in my opinion. I took international relations from him last term, and emailed him a while that I wanted to meet and talk to him about how I can help in this world.
Most importantly, I need to abandon the fear that I CAN'T help in the world. I cannot, cannot, cannot, cannot, afford to believe anything but that I CAN HELP (the caps mean I'm serious). That sort of pessimism gets me nowhere. I need to first accept that my actions have consequences, and those consequences can be a positive change.
On to problem two.
The internet is, without a doubt, shaping how we view our world, shaping the world itself more than anything has since the printing press. The only thing that rivals the constructive power of the internet is the destructive power of the nuclear bomb. And yes, I believe it is constructive, and at times, helpful to people.
It aids some artists.
*A few years ago, a group of three boys filmed silly videos and put them online, now, because of their website, they work for Saturday Night Live, and may actually save the show. Dick in a Box, Lazy Sunday, Natalie Portman rap, you know their stuff. The Dudes, the Lonely Island. http://www.thelonelyisland.com/
*Two nerds obsessed with videogames made a comic revolving around their alter-egos and video game jokes. Now, Mike Krahulik and Jerry Holkins have donated over two million dollars to children's hospitals around the world for toys, games, and books. www.Penny-Arcade.com
*Ze Frank, a man made semi-famous for a joke video he did on "how to dance" has done some pretty amazing stuff himself, helping people be creative every day.
www.Zefrank.com, in particular:
http://www.zefrank.com/theshow/archives/2007/03/031207.html
http://www.zefrank.com/theshow/archives/2006/07/071106.html
So, in the face of this looming cultural mega-milestone, it's hard not to react with some amount of terror. But in truth, the internet is about humanity. It can't be about anything else. It's humans talking to humans, humans creating, humans arguing, humans showing their bodies, their ideas, their opinions and sadness and everything else that is possibly human. It's astounding, simply astounding, and in no way should be taken lightly.
Online we can trade tips on how to be more "green". We can share ideas and information on what the best cars to drive are, what corporations abuse fair trade. And to people who make jokes about the credibility of information on the internet, just because something is more accessible does not intrinsically make it less credible. Just don't believe everything you read, as always.
In fact, as the rate which we learn new things grows faster and faster, the way we present new information must grow with it.
I asked you all to answer some questions about the internet, and all of it was really interesting. Joss Walker had something really interesting to say about technology:
"With visual arts, you have a general progression from smudged pigment to paints and brushes etc, until eventually the photograph comes along, and the whole things gets all meta-freaked out and out of control. You can take pictures, paint them, take a picture of them, paint them, etc. Technology provides spaces *composed of our creations* to create in. Printing comes along and all of a sudden the art is an idea, not a thing.
Computers are for creative culture in general what the camera was to visual appreciation. As they improve, they ideally eliminate the tedium of execution, providing better and better shortcuts to the imagined, as well as aiding the imagination itself."
I found that fascinating. But Stephanie Reisfeld also brings up a good point:
"I don't think it aids or detracts. I do think it stunts, or at least postpones me from engaging in creative outlets, but see below. I think it's mostly because I don't know how to use my computer in that manner... pretty much what I'm saying is yes, I do think I'd look at the internet differently if I knew how to use it in a creative manner. I would love to broaden my creative range!"
So the technology may provide us with shortcuts to communication, art, etc...but it takes more work to become proficient enough in the technology to gain the benefits of the shortcuts. But our generation is practically born into the blossoming era, so we have a better chance of learning these tools.
I think Ryan McGuire summed up my thoughts pretty efficiently when he wrote, " Yes, The Internet helps me be Creative. On the net, I get to see things I wouldn't get to see anyplace else, which add to my Creativity." How's that for a direct acknowledgment of the benefits of the 'net?
So I cannot resist it. There is nothing to gain from doing so. Does that mean I cannot choose to ignore it from time to time, to be onstage? Of course not. I love being onstage, it makes me happier than almost anything else in the world. Rehearsing my monologue was another reason for my "recovery". And I hope that the internet does not replace books ever (but then again, the environmentalist in me screams out that it should).
So what am I doing here? Why did I write this convoluted and way-too-long essay on the internet and creativity? I don't really know...but it's a step. It's me actively doing something with the thoughts in my head.
One final note: I tend to think differently, and express myself differently when I'm in discussion with someone. So if you disagree, or agree, or are completely confused with any of this, please bring it up with me, in person, on the internet, whatever.
Whatever the case, the one point I will never fold on is that the internet is one of the most important, radical evolutions of our society. It's still too new to say exactly what is going to come of it, but for better or for worse, it's here.
This is an introduction: I plan on blogging a lot more, thoughts on the internet and art and everything. Hopefully this long, rambling and self-involved blog hasn't turned any of you off to reading further material. Especially because I'm not editing it before I put it online. I'm far too lazy for that.