On a surface level one could agree with Sam if he means that because of the sheer volume of created artifacts, when one creates he is making water in the ocean. The artifact is lost in the sense that it no longer finds an audience.
On another level, to say that creativity has, “given way,” to self-indulgence suggests that at some point in time it was otherwise. If it was something else what was it? Was the act of creating ever self-less? Or to keep with what I believe is the implied meaning of the quote, was there ever a time when the creator had more of an audience? The audience being anyone other than himself.
Elvis Costello has insisted that great art is nothing but self-indulgence and that to ask it to be otherwise is self-righteousness. He follows a classic (Enlightenment) line of thinking in that in order to create to the best of his ability he must be true to himself first. He creates for his own delight. Go read Maugham’s The Moon And Sixpence to see the extent to which men have followed this.
But how can you be selfish, or self-indulgent with something that ultimately does not, and never will, belong to you? All creativity is intrinsically self-less as the ability to create and the materials that one uses are on loan. Even the Greeks understood that one was blessed with a Muse or Genius that was given to them. The Muse or Genius was an entity creating through a vessel.
No one can ever be purely self-indulgent because nothing can be created or enjoyed by the self alone. Create and hide it away in the depths of the ocean and God will still be pleased by the creature creating and ultimately giving glory to Him. Even when I create something that may only be enjoyed by me it will please the God of Creation.
While proof reading the end of this paper I was listening to Little Steven Van Sandt from Little Steven’s Underground Garage. As I read the first sentence in the paragraph above, my eyes scanned “self-indulgent” while simultaneously he said, “the post 60′s ushering in the era of self-indulgence.” I think he is just talking about Emerson Lake and Palmer but maybe he means all of us.
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On a surface level one could agree with Sam if he means that because of the sheer volume of created artifacts, when one creates he is making water in the ocean. The artifact is lost in the sense that it no longer finds an audience.
On another level, to say that creativity has, “given way,” to self-indulgence suggests that at some point in time it was otherwise. If it was something else what was it? Was the act of creating ever self-less? Or to keep with what I believe is the implied meaning of the quote, was there ever a time when the creator had more of an audience? The audience being anyone other than himself.
Elvis Costello has insisted that great art is nothing but self-indulgence and that to ask it to be otherwise is self-righteousness. He follows a classic (Enlightenment) line of thinking in that in order to create to the best of his ability he must be true to himself first. He creates for his own delight. Go read Maugham’s The Moon And Sixpence to see the extent to which men have followed this.
But how can you be selfish, or self-indulgent with something that ultimately does not, and never will, belong to you? All creativity is intrinsically self-less as the ability to create and the materials that one uses are on loan. Even the Greeks understood that one was blessed with a Muse or Genius that was given to them. The Muse or Genius was an entity creating through a vessel.
No one can ever be purely self-indulgent because nothing can be created or enjoyed by the self alone. Create and hide it away in the depths of the ocean and God will still be pleased by the creature creating and ultimately giving glory to Him. Even when I create something that may only be enjoyed by me it will please the God of Creation.
While proof reading the end of this paper I was listening to Little Steven Van Sandt from Little Steven’s Underground Garage. As I read the first sentence in the paragraph above, my eyes scanned “self-indulgent” while simultaneously he said, “the post 60′s ushering in the era of self-indulgence.” I think he is just talking about Emerson Lake and Palmer but maybe he means all of us.
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