Sunday, September 29, 2013

There's No Good Music Anymore!: Solipsism w/o Perspective

When people say "There's no good [insert musical or theatrical genre of art here] anymore." What they're really saying is "I'm not being entertained anymore because entertainment is no longer relevant to me."

To all those who feel that way, there is hope! The following are examples of narratives that, if allowed to flow through your brain, may change your perspective on the relevance of the art forms around you and ultimately increase the relevance of your entertainment experience!

(1) "New or younger artists are creating things that are not relevant to my experience, quite possibly because they are different people from me with different experiences in a completely different world than the world I came up in. However, through understanding and acceptance, I can open my mind and learn to appreciate their perspectives, experiences, and ultimately, their creations."

(2) "The people who used to create things that were relevant to my experience have stopped creating because either they got sucked up by the machine somehow or they found other things to do, like raise families or start new businesses. Perhaps I can stop complaining about their life moving forward and simply enjoy the timeless, and eternal creations that they left behind."

(3) "The people who are still creating who used to create things that were relevant to my experience are now creating things that are not relevant to my experience because they've grown or changed somehow as a result of the dynamic nature of their human experience. Perhaps I should grow and change as well. Then, maybe I will realize that there is, in fact, a lot of relevance in the world. If growth and change are not possible for me, then I can enjoy the timeless and eternal creations from these artists' earlier catalogs."

(4) "Since no one is entertaining me, perhaps I should begin living a life that reflects that which I want to experience in the world because I'm an adult and I am responsible for my experiences and life outcomes."

I am a solipsist. I believe that I imagined my world and I create it as I go along. Though many of you don't want to admit it, you are solipsists as well. Without perspective, you believe that those who are doing things are supposed to cater to your every experience in life, whether dynamic or stagnant.

You want your favorite artist to re-create the feelings that you felt when you fell in love with them every time they create a new thing. This is fundamentally solipsistic. Internally, you believe that your favorite artist is a figment of your imagination and that their life experience should coincide with yours.

This is a natural thing, really. Artists touch us in such ways in life as to convince us that they are our close friends, intimately connected with us through spirit and speaking directly to us through their works. This is the magic that is art. This is the beauty that is creation. However, it is important to maintain perspective. Your favorite artist does not give a single solitary shit about you or your experience. They wouldn't even be able to pick your face out of a lineup. What I'm saying to many of you right now will come as a shock and you may want to seek therapy after reading this. It is tantamount to learning that there's no such thing as Santa Clause or the Easter Bunny. But I'm going to say it anyway because it's necessary for our society to move forward.

You are the only one responsible for your life experience. Nobody owes you anything and nobody but your parents (maybe), your kids (probably), and your significant other (likely) gives that much of a shit about you...and that's if you make good decisions.

Love,
Blue

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