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ML Greynolds's avatar

Listening to a book about beauty and art in which the author, Makato Fujimura asks, "How can we support artists to act generatively rather than transgressively." In short, how to be earnest rather than cynical. Your piece reminds me of that.

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Shannon Thrace's avatar

Wow. That's a great question. And I love the word "generative," which I noticed elsewhere recently.

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Matt Osborne's avatar

Matt Thornton observes in The Gift of Violence that insincere depictions of violence and sex are pornographic, whereas sincere depictions are considered art. Perhaps the war on sincerity is related to the pornographication of everything?

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Shannon Thrace's avatar

Wow, that's really insightful. Thanks for that.

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Mark Robichaud's avatar

Where do you think our young begin to leave their earnestness behind ? I have a feeling that it starts in our public schools. You?

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Steersman's avatar

"The Importance of Being Earnest", as I think Oscar Wilde put it.

But "investing one's self though not too much" is something of a durable theme over the centuries. Which also has its pathological manifestations -- as with virtually every last behavior of humankind. Excepting, of course, motherhood and apple pie ...

Paul Simon: "I am a rock,

I am an island.

I've built walls,

A fortress deep and mighty,

That none may penetrate.

I have no need of friendship, friendship causes pain.

It's laughter and it's loving I disdain.

I am a rock,

I am an island."

https://www.lyrics.com/lyric/29975897/Paul+Simon/I+Am+a+Rock

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Monica Yancey's avatar

I'm curious what you are referring to with the widespread exploitation of children? My first thought was the attention economy and giving them devices?

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Shannon Thrace's avatar

Many things, but inviting them to change their sex before they even know what it's for comes to mind.

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Steersman's avatar

Also something of a durable theme, children as accessories:

"Children as accessories – a status symbol for the rich and famous"

https://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/life-and-relationships/children-as-accessories--a-status-symbol-for-the-rich-and-famous-20110124-1a307.html

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