I have never been much for Marilyn Monroe, but I love the image of her in my userpic.

[axolotl]

How can people who devote their lives to what is essentially luxury not consider themselves artfucks? People who teach poetry. Musicians. Writers. People who want to make a living reading and adjusting other people's writing (like Emmy!) I am an artfuck. It is sad, but true

Comments

Re: class awareness?

[busbeytheelder]

I hope I didn't give the impression that I consider my profession to be "ST8 Wurkin Class Y'all!"

I think my comp sci job certainly requires those same things as the professions mentioned above. I think Emmy didn't immediately extend her ranting to my thought-work because she is closer to those things that she did talk about. I am certainly constantly amazed that I am paid an extravagant (from the perspective of someone who was working in a grocery store) sum in order to just think about some shit all day. I might be less on the culture-propogation scale because my particular profession is applicable to other interests of wealthy nations (like "defense").

While I think artists, or at least people making something that could be classified as art, will certainly spring up within any society that has some kind of "culture," or whatever you want to call it, that's not the same as having people who do it exclusively. Certainly not do it on a scale where you can just decide that that's what you'd like to do (as opposed to being from some sort of selected caste or passed down position).

Having parents support you late into life (past say, 14 or 16) is certainly a luxury. I wasn't saying that the probability of these lifestyles is 0 without the comfortable society, just that it's much fucking lower than most people in "standard" america (or maybe just college america...or maybe just white and middle middle america...whatever) seem to think that it is.

Anyways, everyone knows I'm a big Classist. It's the sense of entitlement that bothers me, I think.

Re: class awareness?

[estrie]

oh man, you just saved me such an assload of brain dump... actually, i guess you saved yourself from it. i had already written a bunch, and basically it was about how i don't actually understand what i wrote, and honestly, i now don't understand what it was saying... i'm just kind of fried and really eagerly awaiting my laptop... *smirk* something about how i don't think technology and art can be separated (among other things), not that that was ever the point.

that's not the same as having people who do it exclusively. Certainly not do it on a scale where you can just decide that that's what you'd like to do (as opposed to being from some sort of selected caste or passed down position).

the decision of "that's what i'd like to do" is exactly what i was talking about, though. even in a society where choice of any sort is extremely limited, going to art, full time, is the one thing that really takes choice *because* it means possibly starving to death. but you already covered that in your first comment with "you would not be in a position to argue about whether you did something for the bling , for the world, or for some food" because art under duress is distinctly for, well, the world i guess (okay, not so distinct).

I think if everyone disallowed themselves entitlement, our society would be even more depressed than it already is. It's a whole existential thing. At least it's how I'm imagining it... Without entitlement, people might lose their drive, desire for any particular goal, gah, I'M GOING TO STOP TYPING ABOUT THIS NOW!

Re: class awareness?

[estrie]

also, i must come clean. i did not see the subject of your original post, therefore largely missing your point, heh. reading comprehension is not my strong point these days.