Enjoyed your definition of stuckism. Yes, the world needs more art, less materialism. But we may have lost that battle temporarily. Unfortunately, “temporary” may be all we have left.
Alan Watts wrote, and I agree, that we are “abstractionists”, not materialists. To be the latter, we would revere material, treasure our objects—not throw away at every plastic opportunity, invading nations for an idea (abstraction), decimating their material treasures while stealing oil to make and take more cars and shampoo bottles up to Trash Mountain.
I think that not long before the onset of the plastic age, most Westerners were materialists. Think grandparents darning socks over light bulbs. Or my great grandfather who had to build a box out of locally milled wood to keep his genealogical records stored tight and dry.
Ecologically, I believe there is a way out of doom. Our DNA still knows how to cope in a world without cars, bars and plastic jars. The big question now is how to reset the not-so-distant past to include antibiotics and school primers on the material and spiritual benefits of anti-abstractionism.
Sure, our grandkids won’t be able to reap the strip mining benefits of a 401K, but maybe the continuity of a race doesn’t need to rely on one of those. Let‘s ask the chickadee, or interview any sampling of the million-billion species ignorant of Taylor Swift and laundry detergent. They should know!
One more thing... I work today to become a great artist tomorrow, which I believe means giving up on art. I have always thought making pictures to be a symptom of an ego disease like any other, adding more needless junk (and cadmium!) to a wonderful natural world. “Look at me! Look at me! I should just be, but spend my time creatively.” It’s a selfish oneupmanship, no different in the long run from ladder climbing at Lockheed-Martin. Status-chasing is the driving force of global warming. And it’s happening everywhere! Even in Bangladesh with its carbon footprint pressing to depths 1/125th of ours. I believe becoming a nobody will be the greatest art leap of this century. Less is soooo much more. I’ll keep my eyes on that prize, hair-shirting my way a little bit better each day. Meanwhile I paint and write hoping to build a tiny income to relieve Rose of working for too much money. At least then she will have the choice to wrestle with her conscience. Sure, I’ll still cook these gluttonous feasts like every other addict on earth jonesin’ for its decimation. But it won’t make be happy—hence the painting and writing:)
Enjoyed your definition of stuckism. Yes, the world needs more art, less materialism. But we may have lost that battle temporarily. Unfortunately, “temporary” may be all we have left.
Alan Watts wrote, and I agree, that we are “abstractionists”, not materialists. To be the latter, we would revere material, treasure our objects—not throw away at every plastic opportunity, invading nations for an idea (abstraction), decimating their material treasures while stealing oil to make and take more cars and shampoo bottles up to Trash Mountain.
I think that not long before the onset of the plastic age, most Westerners were materialists. Think grandparents darning socks over light bulbs. Or my great grandfather who had to build a box out of locally milled wood to keep his genealogical records stored tight and dry.
Ecologically, I believe there is a way out of doom. Our DNA still knows how to cope in a world without cars, bars and plastic jars. The big question now is how to reset the not-so-distant past to include antibiotics and school primers on the material and spiritual benefits of anti-abstractionism.
Sure, our grandkids won’t be able to reap the strip mining benefits of a 401K, but maybe the continuity of a race doesn’t need to rely on one of those. Let‘s ask the chickadee, or interview any sampling of the million-billion species ignorant of Taylor Swift and laundry detergent. They should know!
One more thing... I work today to become a great artist tomorrow, which I believe means giving up on art. I have always thought making pictures to be a symptom of an ego disease like any other, adding more needless junk (and cadmium!) to a wonderful natural world. “Look at me! Look at me! I should just be, but spend my time creatively.” It’s a selfish oneupmanship, no different in the long run from ladder climbing at Lockheed-Martin. Status-chasing is the driving force of global warming. And it’s happening everywhere! Even in Bangladesh with its carbon footprint pressing to depths 1/125th of ours. I believe becoming a nobody will be the greatest art leap of this century. Less is soooo much more. I’ll keep my eyes on that prize, hair-shirting my way a little bit better each day. Meanwhile I paint and write hoping to build a tiny income to relieve Rose of working for too much money. At least then she will have the choice to wrestle with her conscience. Sure, I’ll still cook these gluttonous feasts like every other addict on earth jonesin’ for its decimation. But it won’t make be happy—hence the painting and writing:)
Thanks for looking and reading!