The Cult of Fame vs Outsider Art
Jun. 23rd, 2006 04:23 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
fingertroubleEvery once in a while I get dangerously obsessed by numbers.
Numbers of listeners, number of comments, number of people who include my mashups in mixes or podcasts or like them, those sorts of numbers. I try and work against it but in this current climate the Cult of Fame it's hard - society seems to judge worth in art or anything by numbers; amounts, pissing contests, size queens.
In fact when telling people about my podcast I tend to always get the question back 'how many listeners do you have', not 'is it any good?'. It's quantity over quality, measuring self worth via an external basis. It's not I think therefor I am, it's I am seen therefore I am (or I am commented about, therefore I exist). I do wonder if it's a large external mirror on your own existential neuroses.
Admit it, we all do it - blogging, memes, podcasting - all fall foul of this one. But I stopped creating art because of this, an unwillingess after graduation to play that numbers game, the private view game, the networking game. It's all numbers, and all about the Cult of Fame. Do we think of something being a success unless it's bigger, popular, famous?
On the other side of this is Outsider art - I've realised why I love it so much (un-ironically) is that it doesn't exist in that system. We admire those who have the artistic vision to go on and do their own thing, in the face of indifference or active discouragement. Some snigger at the results; but I respect that fortitude to go and create, whatever happens. They're not playing the numbers game - of course sometimes a record or piece of work slips out, and I'm sure ironically some want that very same success, the Cult of Fame - see Legendary Stardust Cowboy - but quite a few don't.
What bothers me is that sometimes I get into a frame of mind where worth of a piece of work or myself is directly related to those numbers, ie I fall foul for a while to the Cult of Fame. I have to remind myself that actually in the long run it's a false goal - chase that dream and where do you stop? No it's better to be happier with myself and my work (although I am very self-critical) than worry about external approbation.
Searching for connection with other people/music/art, yes I do that, and find that more a profitable way of spending my neuroses. :-D
Numbers of listeners, number of comments, number of people who include my mashups in mixes or podcasts or like them, those sorts of numbers. I try and work against it but in this current climate the Cult of Fame it's hard - society seems to judge worth in art or anything by numbers; amounts, pissing contests, size queens.
In fact when telling people about my podcast I tend to always get the question back 'how many listeners do you have', not 'is it any good?'. It's quantity over quality, measuring self worth via an external basis. It's not I think therefor I am, it's I am seen therefore I am (or I am commented about, therefore I exist). I do wonder if it's a large external mirror on your own existential neuroses.
Admit it, we all do it - blogging, memes, podcasting - all fall foul of this one. But I stopped creating art because of this, an unwillingess after graduation to play that numbers game, the private view game, the networking game. It's all numbers, and all about the Cult of Fame. Do we think of something being a success unless it's bigger, popular, famous?
On the other side of this is Outsider art - I've realised why I love it so much (un-ironically) is that it doesn't exist in that system. We admire those who have the artistic vision to go on and do their own thing, in the face of indifference or active discouragement. Some snigger at the results; but I respect that fortitude to go and create, whatever happens. They're not playing the numbers game - of course sometimes a record or piece of work slips out, and I'm sure ironically some want that very same success, the Cult of Fame - see Legendary Stardust Cowboy - but quite a few don't.
What bothers me is that sometimes I get into a frame of mind where worth of a piece of work or myself is directly related to those numbers, ie I fall foul for a while to the Cult of Fame. I have to remind myself that actually in the long run it's a false goal - chase that dream and where do you stop? No it's better to be happier with myself and my work (although I am very self-critical) than worry about external approbation.
Searching for connection with other people/music/art, yes I do that, and find that more a profitable way of spending my neuroses. :-D
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Date: 2006-06-23 04:32 pm (UTC)This post...outsider art.