Re: Creativity versus "making it big"
Thad Martin
We're not all supermen or women. We have limited time, energy and
resources. Thus, the importance of finding what we love to do and focusing
our energy in those specific areas.
John Andersen
hi,
so true, there is so much pressure to 'share' in the belief that $ is the end
all and the primary motivation for nearly all we choose to undertake. this is
one of the conflicting interests of our ps system. there's a interesting
article in the "path of learning" mag (www.great-ideas.org/paths.htm) entitled
"public education, alternative schools, and democracy". the article states
that there are three major purposes underlying the different agendas people
have for ps. the three purposes are:
'(1) we want our schools to promote democracy (and ' a major reason for th(e)
failure (of this) is that the public school is also expected to serve a second
purpose')
(2) we also want them to support a competitive economic system (' the
promotion of economic growth in a fundamentally competitive and hierarchical
system of production'), while
(3) we also want them to inculcate moral values and civic virtues.'
ron miller, the author, goes on to say:
'in more organic societies, such as premodern or indigenous cultures, these
realms of politics, economics, and morality are in substantial harmony, and a
coherent education emerges quite naturally in daily life of a community (as
native american educator gregory cajete has nicely described). but in modern
industrial/scientific cultures, particularly the restless and rootless culture
of the united states, there are deep seated tensions between these spheres, and
to the extent that an educational approach embraces one of them, the others are
diminished. people with different educational ideals struggle to establish
one or another purpose above the others.'
miller also says that, in terms of the economic agenda (2), 'there is no
denying that fierce competition inevitably produces big winners (enormously
wealthy families and exclusive communities, robber barons and cooperate
raiders) and demoralized losers (a disempowered working class and an
impoverished underclass), and to a large extent the winners enjoy as much
control over social policy as did the aristocracy in jefferson's day. when we
ask schools, as bill clinton explicitly did a few years back, to serve "one
high standard: are our children learning what they need to know to compete and
win in the global economy?", we are asking them to sabotage the goal of
democratic education, because for every child who competes and wins, there are
others who will compete and lose.'
this society places so much emphasis on one's bank account, what one wears,
where one lives, that we (as a whole) have becomes slaves to our image, and i
believe at the expense of our purpose, our sense of self and happiness, as well
as our relationship to others and our community. last night on some tv show
like 20/20 they interviewed 'arguably the most intelligent man in america' who
tested so high on the iq test they gave him that he could not be measured but
his lasted measurable score was 195. he lives on $6000/year, lives in a very
small house, is writing a book about mathematically proving the existence of
the spirit, and is presently working as a bounced at a bar. the interviewer
was very surprised that he never finished college, was not focused on getting
rich, was perfectly happy living on a small amount of $ and was pursuing a goal
that would most likely never bring him $ or solve the problem of world hunger
(i think the assumption is: if you don't want $ then you must be a complete
altruist, a 'mother theresa' type).
it seem to be hard for many many people to understand that $ is not the focus
of everyone's life and is not the standard by which those people measure their
happiness. for our family $ buys time and has no other real significance. it
holds no power or prestige just another tool we find along the way. that's
not to say we wouldn't mind winning the lottery (though we would have to start
playing for that to be likely to happen) it's just not an important issue.
both my husband and myself are artists, sculptor and painter respectively, and
our son seems to be leaning toward the world of science and mathematics (just
to keep it all in balance:) and the power $ can bring is of no consequence but
happiness, creativity and an open and curious mind are paramount.
-susan
austin,tx
resources. Thus, the importance of finding what we love to do and focusing
our energy in those specific areas.
John Andersen
hi,
so true, there is so much pressure to 'share' in the belief that $ is the end
all and the primary motivation for nearly all we choose to undertake. this is
one of the conflicting interests of our ps system. there's a interesting
article in the "path of learning" mag (www.great-ideas.org/paths.htm) entitled
"public education, alternative schools, and democracy". the article states
that there are three major purposes underlying the different agendas people
have for ps. the three purposes are:
'(1) we want our schools to promote democracy (and ' a major reason for th(e)
failure (of this) is that the public school is also expected to serve a second
purpose')
(2) we also want them to support a competitive economic system (' the
promotion of economic growth in a fundamentally competitive and hierarchical
system of production'), while
(3) we also want them to inculcate moral values and civic virtues.'
ron miller, the author, goes on to say:
'in more organic societies, such as premodern or indigenous cultures, these
realms of politics, economics, and morality are in substantial harmony, and a
coherent education emerges quite naturally in daily life of a community (as
native american educator gregory cajete has nicely described). but in modern
industrial/scientific cultures, particularly the restless and rootless culture
of the united states, there are deep seated tensions between these spheres, and
to the extent that an educational approach embraces one of them, the others are
diminished. people with different educational ideals struggle to establish
one or another purpose above the others.'
miller also says that, in terms of the economic agenda (2), 'there is no
denying that fierce competition inevitably produces big winners (enormously
wealthy families and exclusive communities, robber barons and cooperate
raiders) and demoralized losers (a disempowered working class and an
impoverished underclass), and to a large extent the winners enjoy as much
control over social policy as did the aristocracy in jefferson's day. when we
ask schools, as bill clinton explicitly did a few years back, to serve "one
high standard: are our children learning what they need to know to compete and
win in the global economy?", we are asking them to sabotage the goal of
democratic education, because for every child who competes and wins, there are
others who will compete and lose.'
this society places so much emphasis on one's bank account, what one wears,
where one lives, that we (as a whole) have becomes slaves to our image, and i
believe at the expense of our purpose, our sense of self and happiness, as well
as our relationship to others and our community. last night on some tv show
like 20/20 they interviewed 'arguably the most intelligent man in america' who
tested so high on the iq test they gave him that he could not be measured but
his lasted measurable score was 195. he lives on $6000/year, lives in a very
small house, is writing a book about mathematically proving the existence of
the spirit, and is presently working as a bounced at a bar. the interviewer
was very surprised that he never finished college, was not focused on getting
rich, was perfectly happy living on a small amount of $ and was pursuing a goal
that would most likely never bring him $ or solve the problem of world hunger
(i think the assumption is: if you don't want $ then you must be a complete
altruist, a 'mother theresa' type).
it seem to be hard for many many people to understand that $ is not the focus
of everyone's life and is not the standard by which those people measure their
happiness. for our family $ buys time and has no other real significance. it
holds no power or prestige just another tool we find along the way. that's
not to say we wouldn't mind winning the lottery (though we would have to start
playing for that to be likely to happen) it's just not an important issue.
both my husband and myself are artists, sculptor and painter respectively, and
our son seems to be leaning toward the world of science and mathematics (just
to keep it all in balance:) and the power $ can bring is of no consequence but
happiness, creativity and an open and curious mind are paramount.
-susan
austin,tx
John O. Andersen
Some time ago I read a bit about the Dutch Masters (Rembrandt, Vermeer,
etc.). Almost to a man, even with their profound talents as painters, they
couldn't support themselves through the sale of their paintings alone. Of
necessity, many of them had side businesses.
Suppose Rembrandt had owned and operated a small "bed and breakfast"
business in order to pay the bills. Further suppose that he gave into
pressure to "make it big" in the B&B business so that he could fit in with
the other "successful" people around him, or purchase a dream home, or
afford to send his kids to soccer camp, or pay to have them get all sorts of
musical lessons.
Suddenly Rembrandt would be spending much of his time dealing with a load of
new concerns: purchasing and maintaining equipment, finding, hiring, and
retaining employees, developing management systems, refurbishing, upgrading,
purchasing and selling his real estate holdings, dealing with accountants,
lawyers, advertising people, racking his brains for ways to attract new
customers, meet payroll, deal with the IRS, etc., etc.
Is there a possibility that all of these new demands on Rembrandt's time
could have detracted from the time, energy, passion and focus which are so
necessary to creating great art?
If you've studied the lives of great artists and creators, you may conclude,
as I have, that in many cases, such a diversion would severely squelch a
person's creativity.
We're not all supermen or women. We have limited time, energy and
resources. Thus, the importance of finding what we love to do and focusing
our energy in those specific areas.
For some people, the "earning money" part of life is ancillary to their main
life's mission. For other people, it's the central purpose of their waking
hours.
In our materialistic culture, it's truly liberating when we have the courage
to "break the rules" by putting money-making and status-seeking on a lower
pedestal; much lower than that of our creative and artistic interests.
Believe it or not, such a choice is available to most of us.
John Andersen
http://members.xoom.com/joandersen
etc.). Almost to a man, even with their profound talents as painters, they
couldn't support themselves through the sale of their paintings alone. Of
necessity, many of them had side businesses.
Suppose Rembrandt had owned and operated a small "bed and breakfast"
business in order to pay the bills. Further suppose that he gave into
pressure to "make it big" in the B&B business so that he could fit in with
the other "successful" people around him, or purchase a dream home, or
afford to send his kids to soccer camp, or pay to have them get all sorts of
musical lessons.
Suddenly Rembrandt would be spending much of his time dealing with a load of
new concerns: purchasing and maintaining equipment, finding, hiring, and
retaining employees, developing management systems, refurbishing, upgrading,
purchasing and selling his real estate holdings, dealing with accountants,
lawyers, advertising people, racking his brains for ways to attract new
customers, meet payroll, deal with the IRS, etc., etc.
Is there a possibility that all of these new demands on Rembrandt's time
could have detracted from the time, energy, passion and focus which are so
necessary to creating great art?
If you've studied the lives of great artists and creators, you may conclude,
as I have, that in many cases, such a diversion would severely squelch a
person's creativity.
We're not all supermen or women. We have limited time, energy and
resources. Thus, the importance of finding what we love to do and focusing
our energy in those specific areas.
For some people, the "earning money" part of life is ancillary to their main
life's mission. For other people, it's the central purpose of their waking
hours.
In our materialistic culture, it's truly liberating when we have the courage
to "break the rules" by putting money-making and status-seeking on a lower
pedestal; much lower than that of our creative and artistic interests.
Believe it or not, such a choice is available to most of us.
John Andersen
http://members.xoom.com/joandersen
[email protected]
In a message dated 12/10/99 5:49:54 AM Pacific Standard Time,
andersen@... writes:
Chelle the desert dweller
andersen@... writes:
> In our materialistic culture, it's truly liberating when we have the courageVery well said. I enjoyed this post, thanks.
> to "break the rules" by putting money-making and status-seeking on a lower
> pedestal; much lower than that of our creative and artistic interests.
Chelle the desert dweller
Carol D. Wickwire
I really enjoyed hearing John and Kathy's letters.... I guess it's hard
to break out of the mold we were raised in. I think I rationalize that
"something could happen" in life, and thus, we need to be prepared for
that possibility. I like the extension John mentioned..."Believe it or
not, such a choice is available to most of us." in regards to focusing
on our natural talents and creativity. I became a nurse as we have four
children, and I wanted to be able to support us if anything ever happened
to my husband... but what I would really like to do is write! I am on my
second round of attempts to get a children's book published... (six
sendouts so far). I encourage my children to follow their strengths. I
think 10 years ago, I would have said "Go where the Money is!" Now I
realize how important "being happy and content" in what you do in life
is.
Carol Wickwire <*)))><
Angeli 17, Amber 16, Amanda 14 and Adam 11
Homeschooling For the Glory of God at Oceanside Academy
http://www.onelist.com/subscribe/Florida-homeschool
"Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the
world, love for the Father is not in him." 1 John 15
___________________________________________________________________
Why pay more to get Web access?
Try Juno for FREE -- then it's just $9.95/month if you act NOW!
Get your free software today: http://dl.www.juno.com/dynoget/tagj.
to break out of the mold we were raised in. I think I rationalize that
"something could happen" in life, and thus, we need to be prepared for
that possibility. I like the extension John mentioned..."Believe it or
not, such a choice is available to most of us." in regards to focusing
on our natural talents and creativity. I became a nurse as we have four
children, and I wanted to be able to support us if anything ever happened
to my husband... but what I would really like to do is write! I am on my
second round of attempts to get a children's book published... (six
sendouts so far). I encourage my children to follow their strengths. I
think 10 years ago, I would have said "Go where the Money is!" Now I
realize how important "being happy and content" in what you do in life
is.
Carol Wickwire <*)))><
Angeli 17, Amber 16, Amanda 14 and Adam 11
Homeschooling For the Glory of God at Oceanside Academy
http://www.onelist.com/subscribe/Florida-homeschool
"Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the
world, love for the Father is not in him." 1 John 15
___________________________________________________________________
Why pay more to get Web access?
Try Juno for FREE -- then it's just $9.95/month if you act NOW!
Get your free software today: http://dl.www.juno.com/dynoget/tagj.
Thad Martin
truly inspiring to me
- me too! it's funny what you chance upon and it's great to know there
are other people who live up to their own expectations not the
expectations of others.
-susan
austin,tx
"John O. Andersen" wrote:
- me too! it's funny what you chance upon and it's great to know there
are other people who live up to their own expectations not the
expectations of others.
-susan
austin,tx
"John O. Andersen" wrote:
> Susan, Thanks for this interesting post. Such people as the man you
> describe below are truly inspiring to me. I have a quote on the top of
> my computer monitor which reads: "The individual has always had to
> struggle to keep from being overwhelmed by the tribe. To be your own
> man is a hard business. If you try it, you will be lonely often, and
> sometimes frightened. But no price is too high to pay for the
> privilege of owning yourself." Rudyard Kipling John Anderse
>
> this society places so much emphasis on one's bank account,
> what one wears, where one lives, that we (as a whole) have
> becomes slaves to our image, and i believe at the expense
> of our purpose, our sense of self and happiness, as well as
> our relationship to others and our community. last night
> on some tv show like 20/20 they interviewed 'arguably the
> most intelligent man in america' who tested so high on the
> iq test they gave him that he could not be measured but his
> lasted measurable score was 195. he lives on $6000/year,
> lives in a very small house, is writing a book about
> mathematically proving the existence of the spirit, and is
> presently working as a bounced at a bar. the interviewer
> was very surprised that he never finished college, was not
> focused on getting rich, was perfectly happy living on a
> small amount of $ and was pursuing a goal that would most
> likely never bring him $ or solve the problem of world
> hunger (i think the assumption is: if you don't want $ then
> you must be a complete altruist, a 'mother theresa' type).
>
John O. Andersen
Susan,
Thanks for this interesting post. Such people as the man you describe below are truly inspiring to me.
I have a quote on the top of my computer monitor which reads:
"The individual has always had to struggle to keep from being overwhelmed by the tribe. To be your own man is a hard business. If you try it, you will be lonely often, and sometimes frightened. But no price is too high to pay for the privilege of owning yourself." Rudyard Kipling
John Anderse
this society places so much emphasis on one's bank account, what one wears, where one lives, that we (as a whole) have becomes slaves to our image, and i believe at the expense of our purpose, our sense of self and happiness, as well as our relationship to others and our community. last night on some tv show like 20/20 they interviewed 'arguably the most intelligent man in america' who tested so high on the iq test they gave him that he could not be measured but his lasted measurable score was 195. he lives on $6000/year, lives in a very small house, is writing a book about mathematically proving the existence of the spirit, and is presently working as a bounced at a bar. the interviewer was very surprised that he never finished college, was not focused on getting rich, was perfectly happy living on a small amount of $ and was pursuing a goal that would most likely never bring him $ or solve the problem of world hunger (i think the assumption is: if you don't want $ then you must be a complete altruist, a 'mother theresa' type).
Thanks for this interesting post. Such people as the man you describe below are truly inspiring to me.
I have a quote on the top of my computer monitor which reads:
"The individual has always had to struggle to keep from being overwhelmed by the tribe. To be your own man is a hard business. If you try it, you will be lonely often, and sometimes frightened. But no price is too high to pay for the privilege of owning yourself." Rudyard Kipling
John Anderse
this society places so much emphasis on one's bank account, what one wears, where one lives, that we (as a whole) have becomes slaves to our image, and i believe at the expense of our purpose, our sense of self and happiness, as well as our relationship to others and our community. last night on some tv show like 20/20 they interviewed 'arguably the most intelligent man in america' who tested so high on the iq test they gave him that he could not be measured but his lasted measurable score was 195. he lives on $6000/year, lives in a very small house, is writing a book about mathematically proving the existence of the spirit, and is presently working as a bounced at a bar. the interviewer was very surprised that he never finished college, was not focused on getting rich, was perfectly happy living on a small amount of $ and was pursuing a goal that would most likely never bring him $ or solve the problem of world hunger (i think the assumption is: if you don't want $ then you must be a complete altruist, a 'mother theresa' type).
Debra Bures
John, Many thanks for this timely quote.It's going to be posted by our monitor, too
Debra
"The individual has always had to struggle to keep from being overwhelmed by the tribe. To be your own man is a hard business. If you try it, you will be lonely often, and sometimes frightened. But no price is too high to pay for the privilege of owning yourself." Rudyard Kipling
Debra
"The individual has always had to struggle to keep from being overwhelmed by the tribe. To be your own man is a hard business. If you try it, you will be lonely often, and sometimes frightened. But no price is too high to pay for the privilege of owning yourself." Rudyard Kipling
Winifred Haun + Dancers
When Martha Graham died (Martha is THE god mother of modern dance), she
had not even a checking account to call her own. She owned nothing except
the rights to 150 of her dances. Her dance company which she founded in
1929 supported her but on very little money (because they couldn't afford
it) and she never cared about anything except dance. She put her entire
soul into her work and accomplished great but unmaterialistic things.
(Many others that are as revolutionary and influential in their
professions like, Stravinsky or Picasso, made a lot more money eventually.
But dance probably because it is a "female" art form --that's for another
discussion-- never "pays" very well). Truly inspirational, for me.
Wini
_____________________________________
WINIFRED HAUN & DANCERS
4225 N. Oakley
Chicago, IL 60618
773-583-2995
http://www.mcs.com/~wini/
______________________________________
had not even a checking account to call her own. She owned nothing except
the rights to 150 of her dances. Her dance company which she founded in
1929 supported her but on very little money (because they couldn't afford
it) and she never cared about anything except dance. She put her entire
soul into her work and accomplished great but unmaterialistic things.
(Many others that are as revolutionary and influential in their
professions like, Stravinsky or Picasso, made a lot more money eventually.
But dance probably because it is a "female" art form --that's for another
discussion-- never "pays" very well). Truly inspirational, for me.
Wini
_____________________________________
WINIFRED HAUN & DANCERS
4225 N. Oakley
Chicago, IL 60618
773-583-2995
http://www.mcs.com/~wini/
______________________________________