Quick thought for the café

[Qion]

Sometimes I feel like the people of our society only concern themselves with what is needed to further extend our existences of longevity meaninglessness. What really is the point we make doing our jobs and fueling our economies? Where does our creativity go other than on the market, where it is monetized and becomes -yet again- just another facsimile of expressionism gone economical? The last time I did something for a creative purpous other than to make money was when I blended two pictures in Photoshop for my girlfriend.

There is true, pure, humanistic expressionism, and I am well aware of it. My question is this: Where, exactly, do our very lives primarily manifest in? Is it humanity or commericialism? Is it "choice" or free will?

Some of us live very different lives than the general population. Some take their lives and express themselves and reflect their personal image of humanity perfectly, living happy and fulfilling lives. However, how often do we see such a person become wealthy without direct correlation to making it in a cold, market-type, hierarchical money chain? Maybe I'm just bias being a working, buzzing part of society... or maybe there's something a bit wry with the basis of what we name "crucial to life" in our everyday lives.

[symphonix]

I agree that commercialism is getting well out of hand in popular culture today. I call the youngsters today the "Ringtone Generation", because 13 year old kids spending $24/month to get whacky zany ringtones (that you can download for free anyway, and that the artist doesn't get paid for) pretty much sums up everything that is going wrong with the world right now. If you'd been able to catch a glimpse into this present day from 20 years ago, you would have assumed it was all a dumb joke.

But have some faith. I think the only reason it seems so bad is because this commercialised, warped version of reality is now dominating all the mainstream media. That doesn't mean that people actually think and feel this way.

It sounds like you need to find a creative outlet. I find my artistic expression in photography, and in restoring classic cars. My wife is really into making mosaics and furniture. I know a lot of people, both in Real Life (TM) and on the Internets who are doing generally constructive, beneficial things purely for the sake of doing them - musicians, artists and designers.

Now consider this: none of what they do will ever be recognised by the mainstream media. A Big Brother contestant caught getting romantic with a watermelon, or an American Idol singer breaking an arm on an esculator, would be the talk of the town for weeks. Real visionaries never get noticed.

I suggest you start on a new project for your girlfriend. You'll feel better for it.

A lot of people are genuinely concerned about our environment. And I'm not just talking about wildlife, whales and rainforests, either - although they top the list of my worries. I mean things like architecture, natural resources, art, smart design, elegance - things that help people feel like a meaningful part of their world. Now consider this: how often will you see anything about this sort of issue discussed in mainstream media, or by people in the street? Does that mean its not important?

My point is that, yes we are in a really greedy, commercialised and dehumanised moment in history. We seem to be more materialistic than we were in the 80s, more fearful and paranoid than we were in the 70s, and more cheap and tacky than we were in the 90s. But ultimately, its just a perception thing. In the late 90s, we had a huge number of voices pointing out all the things that were going wrong in the world. It was the time of Mark Moore and the first episodes of The Daily Show - people were made aware that many of the figures they had trusted had become corrupt and greedy. The problem was that we failed to then turn the spotlight onto people who ARE deserving of recognition, and as a result after the 90s, and the "we'll hunt down terrists" noughties, everybody has just sort of shut down and stopped listening.

There are a lot of real heroes today who get no recognition. Lately I've been keeping an eye on Dean Kamen and his plans to manufacture and sell washing-machine sized Stirling engines to allow power production and water treatment for third-world communities. Or how about Apple Board-member Al Gore's An Inconvenient Truth, or Tesla Motors impending release of an all-electric sports car? How much did you hear about these things in the mainstream media? Not one word, right?

[Rhisiart]

Originally Posted by Qion

Where, exactly, do our very lives primarily manifest in? Is it humanity or commericialism? Is it "choice" or free will?

Survival.

[Qion]

Thanks symphonix. I do agree that there is possibly an underlying level of understanding that I didn't really hit on, in that people govern themselves according to these societal laws but don't necesarilly agree with or like them. I just think a lot of people either don't care or don't have the mental capacity to see the digusting display of materialism.

Rhisiart, I think that survival has almost become a secondary topic among our wants and needs. We don't necesarily have to worry about surviving, minus the non-industrial economies that I'm not really talking about. I have read on the topic of survival being the basis for all human -and animal- action, but I have just stopped agreeing with that. Some people would rather "die" than not have the new Razr videophone.

[Rhisiart]

Originally Posted by Qion

Rhisiart, I think that survival has almost become a secondary topic among our wants and needs. We don't necesarily have to worry about surviving, minus the non-industrial economies that I'm not really talking about. I have read on the topic of survival being the basis for all human -and animal- action, but I have just stopped agreeing with that. Some people would rather "die" than not have the new Razr videophone.

Would they really? If we could hypothetically transfer them instantly to the suburbs of Beirut and offer the choice of a rapid airlift out or a Razr videophone, I have a pretty good idea what they would choose.

Which goes some way to the point you are making. Most people in industrial nations clamour for materialism and have lost sight of just how fragile life can be. However, not of all of us in the so called 'First World' have lost this insight.

[Qion]

Originally Posted by rhisiart

Would they really? If we could hypothetically transfer them instantly to the suburbs of Beirut and offer the choice of a rapid airlift out or a Razr videophone, I have a pretty good idea what they would choose.

Which goes some way to the point you are making. Most people in industrial nations clamour for materialism and have lost sight of just how fragile life can be. However, not of all of us in the so called 'First World' have lost this insight.

Right. And I'm glad that some of us still see the fragility of life.

Again, I wasn't talking about 3rd World nations.

[Satcomer]

I say when is the last time any of you honestly gave your money or time to those that need it? Time to put up or shut up.

[Rhisiart]

Originally Posted by Satcomer

I say when is the last time any of you honestly gave your money or time to those that need it? Time to put up or shut up.

Ouch!

Well let's see. My wife and I care for the sick and elderly for crap wages. We barely get through each month without going into debt. Yet we still managed to raise $2500 last year for two charities through fund raising.

Do I still need to shup up, or is it your turn?