Celtic Creativity vs Abstract Realism Ideals
The predominantly commercialised world as it is does not suit the modern day creative. Independent self-expression and creativity is viewed as a somewhat frivolous pleasure as it doesn’t progress the industry of civilisation.
When we look back to ancient cultures (eg Celtic Druids), full of knowledge and art we see the “Bardic stream is not simply a body of knowledge we once possessed and attempt to regain, it is a spiritualised mode of artistic creative consciousness which is dynamic and living”1, but which has been dismantled and largely replaced by superficial financial aspirations, so that “all that we said is forgotten now we (the creatives) don’t belong” 2 in this world anymore. Most people have some latent creative urges and accept life the way it is but dislike the suppression of expression and rebel against it to some extent.
Protest songs have come and gone throughout the last half century but is there any real enforcing power in a protest song? “We sing about what we believe in”, reactions against “the wrongs that we all know”3 – corruption, greed and control, and describing how people have been manipulated into being servants by the control of money, leaving them with no time and/or cashflow to develop independence.
But what changes does a protest bring about? Burning £1 million to encourage people to learn they can live satisfactory creative lives without their lifestyles revolving around money hasn’t changed anything.
The
masses are the buffer zone, only functioning to appreciate life at a basic level
with none or little development of understanding the symbolism and relevance
which might be just under their collective noses.
They are the protective layer between the cowards in government and the
recalcitrant creative force who wish to continue evolving humanity and discuss,
relate and learn about history and contemporary life.
With the time and energy used up (sapped) people have little time and
inclination left for anything other than easy consumerism, which is provided in
abundance as the perceived rewards and relation to life and self expression.
Other people’s ideas are put into heads instead of people germinating
their own. This all stifles strong
culture’s development and growth, thus ensuring a manageable and
non-challenging society. The
purported regulations, which are increasing allegedly for society’s
protection, are fairly transparent restrictions on lives in a massive
proportion, to prevent the peoples’ energy getting out of centralised control.
People are usually smart enough to run their own lives (notwithstanding
distraction and false rewards put under their noses to tempt them into a
controlled and artificial lifestyle) without petty rules.
The attempt to suppress energy and emotions – thus reactions to adverse
regulations - is counter-productive, and will backfire sooner or later from a
melting pot of resentment of simmering unreleased human energy.
The desire to be productive is too strong.
DH
Lawrence speaks in general of how
modern man has lost the connection to nature, and
wished for a re-connection with those primal feelings and impulses that
modernity requires us to suppress. Somewhere
along the way, we reached a point where we came to see ourselves as on the
earth, but not of
it. At one point, Lawrence refers to modern people as “parasites on the body
of earth
Lawrence
believes that civilisation’s current values were laid on top of our suppressed
natural values, which must now be unearthed.
He felt that “man must get back into the rhythm of the cosmos” and
looked back to pre-Industrial revolution pastoralism, seeing how men were beaten
down by mining the earth for coal, saying that “the industrial problem arises
from the base forcing of all human energy into a competition of mere
acquisition.” He noticed how human concerns are narrowed to economics. Lawrence points out that “Whoever has wits (and guts)
doesn’t starve, nor does he care about starving.” But today the only thing
that seems to really move people is a threat to their safety and security. We
are all, it seems, Nietzsche’s Last Man.
Lawrence would probably have agreed with Marx’s idea that capitalist
relations of production alienate us from our “species being” by making it
nearly impossible for us to realize ourselves and find fulfilment through work.
“We must provide another
standard than the pecuniary standard, to
measure all daily life by. We must be free of the economic question. Economic
life must be the means to actual life. . . . There must be a revolution in the
state. . . . The land, the industries, the means of communication and the public
amusements shall all be nationalized. Every man shall have his wage till the day
of his death, whether he work or not, so long as he works when he is fit. Every
woman shall have her wage till the day of her death, whether she works or not,
so long as she works when she is fit—keeps her house or rears her children.
Then, and only then, shall
we be able to begin
living.” (excerpt from a letter to Bertrand Russell, 1915)
(Adapted from an article by Derek
Hawthorne).
The
kudos of money has been raised out of all reasonable proportion as being the
attainment of happiness as opposed to seeking mental and physical stimulation
which is far more rewarding and satisfying.
Shania Twain’s “Ka Ching” 4 describes the
scenario of the consumer society perfectly:
“We
live in a greedy little world
that teaches every little boy and girl
To
earn as much as they can possibly
then turn around and Spend it foolishly …
Our
religion is to go and blow it all
So it's shoppin' every Sunday at the mall…
To go
and spend some more when
you get bored”
Instant
gratification and reward from the purchasing experience seems to satisfy most
people, who have been conditioned by the currency culture that reward is mainly
via money. Commercial society is centred around the vanity of personal
ego. People are seduced with
slogans like “You’re worth it”5 to encourage them to gain
perceived status by buying into a manufactured image of structured style without
substance. The sensation of
receiving a special reward, a treat, which shopaholics pursue is just a quick
fix to replace the real pleasure they would experience living a satisfying life
of positive vibes and productivity instead of fulfilling other people’s aims
and agendas.
Many people are able to start reclaiming their lives, but a huge number can’t because of the burden of their circumstance, or won’t because they’re not confident enough to embrace the potential freedom and trust the control of existence to themselves (Lady Gaga, Scheiße (Born This Way) “I wish I could be strong without permission, yeah. I wish that I could dance on a single prayer. I wish I could be strong without the scheiße” 6. Scheiße is German for shit). The pursuit of luxury and formality as a representation of aspiration lifestyles has been handed down as a carrot to ensure the working classes work harder to spend their money, and my feelings are that this is misplaces fulfilment of the ego. The ego should be grown and satisfied by developing ideas and feelings from the person within – that’s how to create your genuine identity and confidence to realise your own potential of self leadership, ultimate self control and responsibility, not relying on someone else. Emotions spur on bravery if directed correctly. Fear of disapproval is the most frequent and often effective way to make people moderate their behaviour to be less challenging and therefore less courageous. Courage is not actually particularly encouraged as it sets out someone as an individual and potentially a revolutionary. Lady Gaga’s song “Born This Way” again points out the issue facing people who wish to reclaim their existence; In the religion of the insecure, I must be myself, respect my youth.”7 From early days in the playground, the strongest feeling was often to wish to fit in and be accepted. Leadership and gaining sustained support is difficult. And we’re persuaded that self-confidence is arrogance and intimidating. Self-expression is permitted as far as spending money to look superficially attractive. It’s a quick fix to feeling worthwhile - what about thoughts, feelings and ideas as ways to demonstrate self-expression?
Vanity of appearance as the focus of self expression is the immature period of personal development and society is demonstrating the aspects of a teenager with lack of esteem who displays their identity by focussing on and flaunting their appearance – buying into a defined conceptual identity and consuming other peoples ideas instead of creating their own to represent themselves.
If people were able to bring their latent creativity into production they would be able to express their ideas- the intangible aspects of their identity – and thoughts from within instead of merely displaying this outwardly. This conditioning leads to the conflict of the creative and the commercial. People who merely function are not satisfied with life and seek escapism and physical stimulation from other methods like drink and drugs to react against unfulfilling days spent largely non-productively.
The recognised standard is that these ideas and thoughts are mainly restrained and controlled, or conformed visions given and consumed, whereas “rules are what the artist breaks, the memorable never emerged from a formula”8. The current elite designers of society have rebuilt the frame of culture on their terms and under their control. We’ve all been made to think Hollywood is the epitome of film-making culture and anything else is substandard. The corporate machine is designed to make people believe its standards and expressions are the only things to aspire to and that small scale and independent is not of such a valid expression. But the reflection of real life experiences is more inspiring and life affirming. You are made to feel like a non-achiever if you don’t fit in and do well in the contemporary commercial lifestyle. Either that or a disruptive rebel – someone who is only expressing their frustration with the conventions. Rebel Without A Cause didn’t fully explore and express the protagonists’ thoughts, merely portraying him a teenager who is dis-satisfied and just gives up without a proper fight.
There are few opportunities for people who don’t want to be part of the money-go-round system, making money for the sake of aspiration to the commercial material lifestyle and standardised way of living, and not for the experience of living itself.
The situation with the machine making money out of the easily satisfied masses means there is the exploitation of peoples need for money, and a big problem with the lack of opportunities for people who want a different reality. We don’t all want to be homogenized the way commercialism is pushing us.
Humanity’s instinct is too strong to be beaten and nature can’t be controlled. “The sword represents the will. When it is aligned with higher purpose it becomes the sword of spirit – a representation of our ability to become spiritual warriors in a world filled with difficulty which requires a warrior spirit to overcome. When the will is not aligned to our higher values and purpose it runs amok and the sword becomes the weapon which maims and destroys.” 9
Currently there are very few jobs that require physical exertion and release of adrenaline, which gives a feeling of accomplishment and satisfaction at the end of the day. If not released, the adrenaline (physical and mental energy) is expressed as belligerent behaviour and a recalcitrant attitude. The Scots have inherent energy that needs suitably channelled by productivity and creativity. To relieve this the Scots turn to alcohol to feel that exuberance and indulge the sense of rebellion. Alcohol can let people escape into their own world, enter into their psyche and rebel a bit, which is the only way a lot of people can release into their dreams, a fundamental need: “Lose your dreams and you will lose your mind” 10. Unfortunately this is just a poison substitute for natural lust for life (adrenaline). H.P. Lovecraft considered realism to be the summit of mediocrity. He didn’t “believe that any realism is beautiful” and “those who love life don’t read or go to the movies. No matter what might be said, access to the artistic universe is more or less entirely the preserve of those who are a little fed up with the world”. Reality is subjective however, and it’s up to the individual to create their own set of values and lifestyle. People need the freedom to realise their own reality and not be frustrated by living: “living is hard, life on the other hand is beautiful”. 11
The commonly available low activity, non-productive jobs are entirely unsuitable for people with a natural high drive to think, accomplish, produce and achieve. I would also say that our need for high-energy food to use as fuel for physical activity is another natural aspect of our makeup. We have a desire for foods that would be converted into long lasting fuel for the body to use in physically demanding work, but as the food is not required to be converted it is stored by the body as fat and causes disease.
Current worldwide economics is designed to discourage people from attaining an independent productive and creative livelihood and to take the easier option of being part of the placated society. Creative people aren’t the passive majority – they want challenges and accomplishments, but arts resources (in terms of both time and finance) are usually limited to prevent too loud an alternative voice from being heard which would disrupt the status quo of the establishment. State handouts keep uninspired people placated by giving them a lifestyle which prevents them becoming rabble-rousers. This marginalizes and deters potential challengers for an alternative life to aspiring to become role models for independent leadership.
When the current recession began to take effect, being faced with the options of sink or swim, a lot of people decided to take the opportunity given to them to become entrepreneurial and reclaim their lives instead of becoming a suppressed pacified receiver of benefits. The striving, driven attitude of the creative will always find some way to prevail, reappearing anywhere it can to present its natural force.
The
strength in the good aspects of a productive industry have been removed.
Commercialism has replaced it, presenting few representatives for the
general social conscious who can be related to on a few fundamental levels.
We should be using commerce to fund freer lives for the betterment of
humanity, making life be full of self expression and good relationships among
people and with life itself. Easy
Rider12 shows a great example of preventing freedom flourish.
Is the end of the film a note of caution against following the route of
freedom, an indication that you’re destined for disaster from the outset?
Creativity
aligns the masculine and feminine sides of our nature, hopefully giving us inner
peace and reconciliation instead of seeking this from without ourselves.
A lot of the time sexual relationships give you most of your sense of
self worth: by how adoring your partner is indicates how great you are, which is
a base level to estimate self worth, and not a true reflection of who and what
the different facets of your personality.
1 Philip Carr-Gomm
2 Crispian Mills, Kula Shaker, 1996
3 Bill Drummond 1989
4 Shania Twain
5 Loreal
6 Lady Gaga, Scheiße (Born This Way)
7 Lady Gaga Born This Way (Born This Way)
8 Bill Bernbach
9 Philip Carr-Gomm
10 “Ruby Tuesday”, The Rolling Stones
11 “Driving Instructor” (Electric Head) The Grid, 1990
12 Easy Rider