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Artistic Temperaments
May. 21st, 2009 09:03 pmSo I'm watching the season premiere of So You Think You Can Dance and had a thought about artists and performers. I'm not sure if I can put this right, so bear with me while I try.
Ok, so people who grow up sensitive, excitable, etc etc, are often told that they have "artistic temperaments". Whether they're called drama queens or not, children and young teens who have difficulty with interpersonal relations or even classroom troubles are often encouraged to go into the arts- whether it be theater, singing, dance, painting, etc. They can express themselves in a medium that doesn't necessarily require a lot of interaction with others. Granted, actors have to be able to get along with other actors, dancers with their partners, and so on, but often times they can isolate themselves from people who have been cruel to them in the past, and separate themselves from a world that "just doesn't understand them". Which is all well and good if they can manage to keep up that separation, and just surround themselves with people like them.
The problem comes when they put themselves in situations where people *not* like them are able to look on and judge. For example, So You Think You Can Dance. Or American Idol, or any of the talent shows, really. These people grow up being told that they're artistic, and talented, and its ok to be so sensitive and over the top because that is what artists do. So they simply cannot compute when they're told that no, they are not as talented as they think they are, no, they will not be moving up to the next level, no, the judges are not in awe of what they have just done and may, in some cases, be laughing at them. They just can't understand it! So that's when you get these crazy overreactions that the producers cream themselves over. And even as I watch in horrified amusement I can't help but feel immense pity for these people who are having their worldview shattered. Sometimes it isn't even about not being talented enough. They may be excellent at whatever they do, but they just do not have the temperament to make it in an industry where they will be constantly criticized. The first negative comment and they're tearing up and hyperventilating. Which is just depressing, honestly.
I don't know. To me it is just sad that such sensitive people are told, because of their personality and temperament, that they should go into a profession where their talent will constantly be called into question. Damn all those depressed, suicidal artists for convincing us as a culture that they are the norm. The darker emotions obviously have their place in art, but it seems that people tend to pull solely from those and forget about the love and joy that makes art so fucking inspiring.
As Daniel Franco would say, follow your bliss. And as Margaret Atwood told us, don't let the bastards grind you down.
Ok, so people who grow up sensitive, excitable, etc etc, are often told that they have "artistic temperaments". Whether they're called drama queens or not, children and young teens who have difficulty with interpersonal relations or even classroom troubles are often encouraged to go into the arts- whether it be theater, singing, dance, painting, etc. They can express themselves in a medium that doesn't necessarily require a lot of interaction with others. Granted, actors have to be able to get along with other actors, dancers with their partners, and so on, but often times they can isolate themselves from people who have been cruel to them in the past, and separate themselves from a world that "just doesn't understand them". Which is all well and good if they can manage to keep up that separation, and just surround themselves with people like them.
The problem comes when they put themselves in situations where people *not* like them are able to look on and judge. For example, So You Think You Can Dance. Or American Idol, or any of the talent shows, really. These people grow up being told that they're artistic, and talented, and its ok to be so sensitive and over the top because that is what artists do. So they simply cannot compute when they're told that no, they are not as talented as they think they are, no, they will not be moving up to the next level, no, the judges are not in awe of what they have just done and may, in some cases, be laughing at them. They just can't understand it! So that's when you get these crazy overreactions that the producers cream themselves over. And even as I watch in horrified amusement I can't help but feel immense pity for these people who are having their worldview shattered. Sometimes it isn't even about not being talented enough. They may be excellent at whatever they do, but they just do not have the temperament to make it in an industry where they will be constantly criticized. The first negative comment and they're tearing up and hyperventilating. Which is just depressing, honestly.
I don't know. To me it is just sad that such sensitive people are told, because of their personality and temperament, that they should go into a profession where their talent will constantly be called into question. Damn all those depressed, suicidal artists for convincing us as a culture that they are the norm. The darker emotions obviously have their place in art, but it seems that people tend to pull solely from those and forget about the love and joy that makes art so fucking inspiring.
As Daniel Franco would say, follow your bliss. And as Margaret Atwood told us, don't let the bastards grind you down.
