The Sublime in Art or Opening to the Diversity of Form

[Kolstad]

Here's my latest research into postmodern arts. You will enjoy it because it explains all the latest thinking in philosophy of aesthetics since Kant and also explains why my music sounds the way it does, why Modern art looks the way it does and how to have a meaningful life as an artist or musician.

Here's what this made me think..

1. We need to hear your music before the explanation of it - otherwise it would just be another "modernist" attempt to control our perception.. (modernism is all about power and control)

2. A broad generalization of what "modern art" is, isn't very postmodern.. (postmodernism is all about hybrids, fragments and plurality)

3. A "template" for what a meaningful life for artists/musicians should be, also seems a very modernist attempt to unify in stead of acknowledging diversity..

So, a true "postmodernist" practitioner would post up the music, allow criticism from different listeners and solicit the feedback considering the context of intended use

[Casey H]

ML just read this and said to his forum genius: "You're gonna need a bigger server"...

Casey

(http://youtu.be/8gciFoEbOA8)

[Tatsu]

Take for example the show Mighty Mouse during your grandparents generation. When Gunung Agun erupted in Bali, they portrayed Mighty Mouse as America flying to Bali to save the Balinese which isn't so bad in itself. But realize that the cartoon uses both art and music and perhaps is accidentally brainwashing children as to what foreign people are like and what they should think about them. A sexily portrayed Balinese women starts to dance a sultry sort of swing in her hips and a song starts to play that goes "Krakatoa Katy sure aint no lady when she starts to shake her sarong." What it seems to be teaching is that Balinese women are promiscuous, or at least unlady like. Art is being pressed into service of something that thinking people should know better than to make.

And during your father's generation there was Jerry Lewis putting on big round glasses and fake buck teeth pretending to be Japanese and acting and talking stupid and crazy. It was acceptable not long ago to very publicly portray Japanese people as backwards and stupid. Comedy and Tragedy are part of the arts but again, they should have known better than to be soooo unconscious about what they were doing.

In your generation we still have serious white actors needing a black actor to play the fool for comic relief. It's teaching that what the mainstream seems to need black people to be, backwards and stupid. These unconscious attitudes are so prevalent both at school and at work about women, the poor, minorities, etc... and the number one reason is the arts.

Here we are talking on a forum where your art is for sale to the highest bidder and most don't really care what the advertiser is selling. Here in Indonesia companies like Revlon, Dove etc... are pushing this crap product "whitening cream" to dark skinned people because they've been successful to make them hate the color of their own skin.

Is there ANYONE here that has ever said, "I'm not going to submit to that listing because they test on animals or sell whitening cream to black people." or whatever ?

In any event, the artists who composed those little ditties to brainwash people in Germany, Italy, Russia and China with their Nazi and communist propaganda songs need to be included in a new category of war criminals.

All I'm saying is that artists need to be more intelligent. At least intelligent enough to understand an essay on aesthetics without further comment so that when some bullshit job comes down the pike, you will reject in on MORAL grounds regardless of how much of a great opportunity it is to have your music be a part of Maybelline or insane military campaign.

Look at Abu Graib if I'm spelling that right. How can so many young Americans think, talk and act like that all in one place? It's because they're not a special case of Americans. Their attitude is not unique. It's rather normal based on my own experience of growing up in America. The reason is an inability to think using logic, or morality and are programmed to only evaluate everything from a single perspective, social pressure. All I'm saying is don't let this be you, don't be silent when you see it, and please try to do something about it if you can before it's too late and the next Hitler or Stalin marches everyone off a cliff.

They will attack you the way people on here are attacking me and the one intelligent person talking sense is accused of being an enemy of the state and imprisoned or killed. I'm not your enemy. I'm the best friend you ever had because I'm trying to make artists in a position to make a difference think twice about screwing everyone's future through unconsciousness.

[ottlukk]

Tatsu: You are absolutely on the wrong site. The people on this site make music, they write beautiful lyrics, they try to connect to what is beautiful in the soul. All I hear from you is political rants, philosophical musings that make no sense, and a huge sense of self importance. And a lot of hate. Either contribute some music to this site, or leave. Ott

[Cruciform]

Well Tatsu,

I was with you and agreeing with many of your points right up until you implied that you are the one intelligent person on the site. Also, you'll need to review Logic 101 if you cannot differentiate criticism of your comments from personal attacks.

You've also as much as implied that people who don't understand what you say with you are not intelligent. Here's some basic social etiquette for you: you'll make more friends and receive a warmer hearing by not pretending you're smarter than everyone else in the room, because chances are you're not. Back on point, the difference between an important social commentator and an ivory tower academic is to make complex ideas easily understandable and accessible to the widest audience possible.

[Kolstad]

You certainly reads pissed off, Tatsu. Why not try to channel that energy into music?

[charlie2]

Tatsu:

I agree with some of your ideas but i was confused about other ones.

you seem like a very intelligent and sensitive person. I only wish you wrote a much shorter post with 1 or 2 points.

This was interesting:

"In any event, the artists who composed those little ditties to brainwash people in Germany, Italy, Russia and China with their Nazi and communist propaganda songs need to be included in a new category of war criminals.

All I'm saying is that artists need to be more intelligent. At least intelligent enough to understand an essay on aesthetics without further comment so that when some bullshit job comes down the pike, you will reject in on MORAL grounds regardless of how much of a great opportunity it is to have your music be a part of Maybelline or insane military campaign.

Look at Abu Graib if I'm spelling that right. How can so many young Americans think, talk and act like that all in one place? It's because they're not a special case of Americans. Their attitude is not unique. It's rather normal based on my own experience of growing up in America. The reason is an inability to think using logic, or morality and are programmed to only evaluate everything from a single perspective, social pressure. All I'm saying is don't let this be you, don't be silent when you see it, and please try to do something about it if you can before it's too late and the next Hitler or Stalin marches everyone off a cliff.

They will attack you the way people on here are attacking me and the one intelligent person talking sense is accused of being an enemy of the state and imprisoned or killed. I'm not your enemy. I'm the best friend you ever had because I'm trying to make artists in a position to make a difference think twice about screwing everyone's future through unconsciousness.".

Yes, music is a very powerful tool and could be used for both good and bad purposes. It's important that you stated this.

The late John Braheny wrote about this in one of his books. He stated that composers may want to become aware of how or where our music is used.

It's also important to keep in mind that the people on this forum, along with the majority of Americans are very intelligent and decent people.

You have many friends here.

[jazzstan]

Ott... you asked: these are from a Tatsu posts from last year. These put his points in perspective.

Ashoka http://soundclick.com/share.cfm?id=11761845
Dakini http://soundclick.com/share.cfm?id=11761808
Undertow http://soundclick.com/share.cfm?id=11701214
Oracle http://soundclick.com/share.cfm?id=11701199

[ottlukk]

Jazz: I took a listen to parts of all four tracks, interesting jazz fusion stuff. Still, I don't think this site should be used for political rambling and rants, and that is the way he comes across to me. Ott

[Cruciform]

Ott,

To be fair, he has some good points but the presentation of them needs fine-tuning.