In his work, the author of The Creative Impulse states "our insistence on cognitive knowing may have already robbed us of some of our capacity for being human." By writing this, the author intended to imply that mystery behind our existence is what drives humanity, and revealing the true nature of this mystery would strip us of this quest. Personally, I disagree wholeheartedly. I believe that not only is the quest important, but the answers themselves, and the new questions each answer brings. Therefore, while I do believe that the goal of humanity is to increase it's collective knowledge, this is an unattainable goal, as the pursuit of proficiency regarding the natural world will be ceaseless.
As the goal of humanity is to build upon its collective knowledge base, to be human is to in some way facilitate this end. While one may not directly contribute to the fields of research or education, their work provides a foundation upon which this is possible. In this manner, there is no distinction between man or woman, as both are equally capable of serving this purpose. Without sounding collectivist, in a way, it is this cooperation and interaction that promotes a culture of growth and learning.While art may appear unimportant in the system which I described, I firmly believe that art is an integral piece of society. To make art is to express emotion, and to question commonly held beliefs. Art is progressive, and can bring about important changes to a culture, inspiring others in their work. To be an artist is to be dissatisfied with the status quo, and desire to express this dissatisfaction for the world.
Will,
ReplyDeleteIt's interesting that we each reached similar conclusions about what it means to be human. The ability to collaborate with others is what set human beings apart from other forms of life on Earth. By being able to recognize this, it puts a purpose in life in front of us that all of us can follow: To work for the collective good of the human species. To live life as if the future of humanity depended on the actions of our own lives is truly the purpose of life as a human. While our individual purposes might vary from one another depending on the skillsets that we choose to develop, they each fall under this umbrella of contributing to the greater good of humanity.
I find it appropriate that you consider art to be a progressive medium. I personally would agree and disagree at the same time. Art is a medium in which emotions and messages can be expressed by the creator. I would say that it is safe to say that the majority of art sends a relatively progressive message in that they target a social evil. However, art can also be a conservative medium. It can express traditional values that might be associated with religion or patriotism.
Will,
ReplyDeleteWhile we seemed to have quite different interpretations about the passage, I definitely am intrigued by what you believe the author intended. I completely agree with your counterargument to that point about how not only the questions, but also the ways in which we come upon the answers to them, are important. I also agree that our quest for collective knowledge is not entirely possible, although I do believe that our pursuit of proficiency very well may have a limit, depending on how thirsty our future generations remain for knowledge.
I additionally enjoyed your comments in regards to art and its role in culture. I agree that art certainly is a catalyst for change, but I contend that not all artists are dissatisfied with the status quo. While I can see this as a reason for some to create art, I believe that it is just one of many, as not all art is necessarily fueled by a want for change. Art may cause a sway in culture, whether intentionally or inadvertently, but this change may not always be what the artist envisioned, that is if they envisioned any change stemming from it at all. I certainly enjoyed your post though, as well as Evan's comments.
Will - I interpreted the meaning behind that quote differently. For me, I wonder if the need to understand everything keeps us from enjoying the mystery and beauty in something. I find it comparable to believing in Santa when you are younger. After you grow up and the magic is lost, is it less fun?
ReplyDeleteHowever I do see your point about the goal of society to advance itself. You also make good points about the similarity of genders as both can work to make advances. Originally I was slightly surprised by some of you comments, such as the ones about art, but all the points you make throughout your piece stay consistent and tie into each.
Overall you made a lot of good points many of which are differed from my original reactions and made me think more thoroughly about some of these ideas. Thank you.
"To be an artist is to be dissatisfied with the status quo, and desire to express this dissatisfaction for the world."
ReplyDeleteI have to say that I agree and disagree with this statement. For one, nothing would be in existence without creativity. Nothing. Art is a very important part of society that is not valued as highly as it should be. Your opinions on this are absolutely true. Art is what makes people question, evolve, and wonder.
On the other hand, art can be in many forms. I know artists that make art that is modern, searching for perfection in numbers and angles. In many ways by doing that they are really staying "in the box". That style of art might actually be maintaining the status quo, not challenging it.
Art can challenge, awaken, and change things as we know it. Pushing society to advance, though never answering the perpetual question of "why?"