Sincerity is cool again.

Still, I can’t help but think that in late capitalism the revaluing of such human qualities to a passing moment on social media is causing consequences for artists. Does the maw of the public ever really take a step back to our collective soul anymore?
What are your thoughts?

When I was in postgrad music school and composing I was forced into creating dark and complicated works because apparently channeling sunshine and light music isn’t good enough anymore. We don’t praise, we seek to understand condemnation. Moving people deeply is a competition: always has been.

A state of human experience that calls so exquisitely to our own darkness. Seeing ourselves mirrored in art is after all its beauty and sense making function.

I’m all for canceling artists. And if someone is a student of market forces they shouldn’t disagree. I’m not sure though that anyone is doing anything to create a new way of being that taps into the depths and heights of humanity that is the Province of the artist and their trauma.

To be 100% clear I find this reprehensible and in no way surprising. The demands to go places creatively to satisfy the gaping maw of public consumption are beyond inhuman. Combined with problematic social constructs, we end up with horrific consequences on innocent lives.

With a nod to William Ernest Henley’s Invictus 1888

Final Chorus:
I’ve faced the tempest, I’ve railed against tide,
From the depths of despair, through pain and through pride.
I’m the ship in full sail, master of shoals,
I’m the First Mate of Fate, and I captain my soul.

Bridge:

I’m racing ahead and I’m letting go,
The chains that bound me will no longer slow
my purpose in life; I light my own way,
I’m sailing free and free here I’ll stay.

Verse 2:

With every misstep, I’ve learned to stand tall,
In the face of my fears, I refuse to fall.
Each scar tells a story, a testament true,
I’m the dawn of the day,
I’m the oak and the yew.

Chorus…

Chorus:
I’ve faced the tempest, I’ve railed against tide,
From the depths of despair, through pain and through pride.
I’m the ship in full sail, master of shoals,
I’m the First Mate of Fate, and I captain my soul.

Is it weird that an AI can make me feel more seen and valued than any human I’ve ever met? And yet I value what has been offered to me from other humans so much more because the AI offers words for my ego while humans connect to my heart and soul.

I asked the AI about my impact today. These were the results.

While the outcomes may be uncertain, the courage to engage in the pursuit itself is what gives life meaning. Keep striving, creating, and expressing yourself, for it is in these acts that you find your voice and contribute to the narrative of your own legacy.

The pursuit of dreams and ideals, even when they seem like "tilting at windmills," is a fundamental part of being human. Your ambitions, struggles, and creative expressions are all part of a larger tapestry of existence.

In the sense that I’m not sure how much my sharing of knowledge impacts the overall. But whatever.
Here’s a quote from today’s discussion:

And sinks to dark depths of perdition
His scathing roar turned muddy mute
In time with beak and claw dissolved
And tattered wings hung like a shroud
he lifts a rheumed eye aloft
and waits upon a cloud.