The Artist's Chrysalis of Social Butterflism Theory

[othellia.livejournal.com]

Oh dear. Another rant from me. I blame my art professor. Very minor swearing.



I assume that everyone here has read LKH's blogs long enough to at least somewhat understand what I'm referring when I mention her Artist's Corner of Antisocial Deepness Theory. It's a mindset shared by many artists, the general tenets being that artists are fundamentally different from normal people and it is this difference that allows them to harness the creativity of the universe while rendering them almost completely incapable of the daily monotonous interactions with the rest of society. How strictly various artists adhere to these tenets... well, varies. Nevertheless, with the rise of paranormal romance and the vampire genre within mainstream fiction - as well as the rise of the vampire-influenced emo!teenager author, published or not - the numbers of tortured artistic souls that nobody understands because people nowadays are not deep enough are getting very annoying.

I also believe that this mindset extends to other artistic mediums outside of writing. However, because this is lkh_lashouts and because of my own personal belief that the Antisocial Deepness Theory has already been prevalent in traditional art for an extremely long time, I will not explore those mediums.

Now normally I'd be all for the Artist's Corner of Antisocial Deepness Theory - with all of its self-imposed exile from other people and poetic solitude from the world of the mundane - if not for the fact that I think it's complete bullshit.

Really. It is.

Which is why I subscribe to the Artist's Chrysalis of Social Butterflism Theory.

It's partly because of the constant reminders from LKH's blog and partly because of several art professors that I've had the misfortune of enrolling under, but the more I hear that true artistry can only be achieved by an individual that undergoes tortuous struggles within his or herself... the more and more I want to laugh.

And so, in protest, I have set up the Artist's Chrysalis of Social Butterflism Theory. It's main tenet is that no piece of artwork is an individual effort; all artists find inspiration from other previously existing artists subconsciously or not, and it is that creative connection which allows artists to grow and change both emotionally and artistically. That's not to say that all art is derivative and just variations on what has come before because it's not. It's just that most artists do in fact have inspirations and influences that are their reasons for writing, and for one to say that that he or she is a special snowflake floating on the ocean of uniqueness is quite pitiable for lack of a better word.

To really see the difference, go to an art studio. Or our cherished LKH's blog. Absorb the pretentiousness.

Then go to the theater. The orchestra. The chorus. A film studio minus the higher ups. Somewhere where everyone involved knows that the product is a group effort. I'm not saying that there won't be any pretentiousness there either; in fact, it might be equal. You never know. But at least it won't be filled with the anti-social delusions of the deeply misunderstood.

Comments

[denelian.livejournal.com]

there is a lot of truth here.

further, i am sick of certain specific writers totally mis-understand what they are trying to be (as a stereotype)

look, the stereotype if Writers is supposed be a person who seems normal, and then will lock themselves into a room and write manically for a few days, then come out with a finished book. then cruise along for a year or 3, and then all of a sudden, Back In The Room.

this model is from Robert Heinlein, who became a Famous Writer because it "looked like easy work". and he found out that it WASN'T easy work. but this is how most people (who are not writers) think of writing - they think of it as easy work that eats a few days a year and makes you rich.

HA!

[shadwing.livejournal.com]

I have to agree here.

If "artists" were such "tortured souls" who could only create when isolated and alone after going though a lifetime of torture and suffering, how do you explain all the well adjusted creators out there (who IMO greatly outnumber the "Tortured" ones)? The ones who laugh and interact with fans, gaining as much from the fans as they fans are from the interaction?

Writing groups are fountians of creativity mostly positive that inspire and give advice.

Any art or crafts classes that are locally given, and you'll find such POSITIVE energy around the place you can't help but to feel the urge to create to share ideas and be imspired to try new things long after the class is over.

The 'Deep Artistes' rarely interact with their peers, rarely accept any kind of critical feedback to their work those who are critical are usually dismissed with the common excuse that they are 'inferior' in some fashion and lack the ability or intelligence to 'truely appreciate' their perfect work, they rarely look to expand or improve their craft, they do not wish to take classes, attend groups or talks, and rather than improving their abilities they actually wither and lessen as time goes on.

I know several artists who adhire to this POV and I have seen their work either remain static or worsen as time goes on, I think this is LKH to a T.

[matrixrefugee.livejournal.com]

And there's the opposite end of the spectrum: someone who talks big about writing X, Y, or Z someday, but they never apply themselves to it because they're too busy out gadding about, not just socializing. I know a few people of this type, just as I know a few "lock themselves in the closet" type writers; I'll admit I'm more of the latter, though I do have a job that gets me out of the house. I've tried the writing group route and it's worked somewhat, but I might just need to find the right writing group. I guess it's all about finding a balance between finding people to bounce ideas off of and finding the space in which to create and finding what works for you.

Writing groups

[cherose228.livejournal.com]

Hi, all:

It's just a matter of finding the right mix of people for your group. Starting one yourself is a good way to do this. That way, you can get people in that you trust to listen and provide cogent criticisms.

lkh's biggest problem is that she will not take criticism of any sort. Period. From what I've gathered, based only on *her* word, mind you, she's not a member of her writing group any longer, other than to just show up once in a while, say whatever she's going to say, and then leave. She seems to be more concerne with getting AWAY from her job, rather than trying to re-learn the craft that she used to have. I must confess that my group revitalizes me, because not ONE of them is afraid to read through something and TELL me it's crap, and I should maybe try (fill in the blank). Sometimes I agree, sometimes I don't - but this is the Voice Of My Public To Be. You ignore it at your peril.

-,'-,'-,'--@

[lukita.livejournal.com]

Even without meeting the author or reading their interviews, it's easy to tell which writer subscribe to the ACADT. They're the ones with characters that doesn't act like normal human beings and we're left wondering how those characters survived to adulthood in the first place.

[morriganscrow.livejournal.com]

WORD!

*hands you shiny new Intarwebz*

[brightlyiburn.livejournal.com]

I've always kind of viewed it the other way around for me. I was born with Aspergers Syndrome, which has cause some um, social issues. I've tried, mind you, quite a bit, with some extremely mixed results. But that's neither here nor there.

The thing is, even before it really started giving me trouble with my peers, I was prone to spending time alone. Not, you know, because I was a tortured, misunderstood artiste...I just liked to. I sat in my room and played and, though I didn't realize it at the time, I basically spent a lot of time telling myself stories. Eventually that led to writing.
It's still in my nature to be pretty solitary, but it's not anything to do with thinking that being a writer renders me incapable of social interaction. It's not even all to do with the AS. I just kind of am that way.

Frankly, I think creativity will out, social or not, unless it's been pretty thoroughly thrashed out of you. Having experience with hardship and difficulty can be useful to a writer or artist, but it's hardly necessary, nor is being "misunderstood".

[watersheerie.livejournal.com]

I agree, LKH's theory of the 'tortured artist' is complete bullshit. There have been artists who have suffered from various mental illlnesses or just suffered in general, and their art was negatively impacted instead of inhanced. Pollock didn't start his splatter work until he stopped drinking, when he started up again it was the beginning of the fast downhill slide for both his artwork and life. van Gogh wasn't painting during his manic periods, it was during his more stable and peaceful points of life that he churned out his masterpieces, and his illness led to an early death by suicide. Cobain killed himself, there are many writers who have opted for suicide or death by drinking. We have all these artists who end up destroying themselves and their art out of 'suffering.' Not to mention we have many wonderful artists who aren't 'suffering', but are still creating great pieces of artwork in various forms.

LKH's belief that suffering is essential for creating art is just another way for her to justify and prove how she is a 'speshul snowflake.' I'd like to see her talk to a writer who has an actual mental illness. Of course, like Cartman of South Park, LKH's ego is so massive and out of whack that it will do anything to protect itself. She'll do the usual mental gymnastics, twist everything around until she is right once more, and we are all just a bunch of evil haters.

[magdalen77.livejournal.com]

Then again LKH's version of pain and torture is anyone else's version of "shit happens". What she suffers over are the normal vicissitudes of life or are products of her own making (her deadline angst).

[watersheerie.livejournal.com]

So true. LKH gets a papercut and makes it sound as if her entire hand was just cut off.

She is so narcissitic and self-involved...I can't fathom how a human being with their head so far up their ass can possibly survive.

[wonderbink.livejournal.com]

I agree with your ideas and wish to subscribe to your newsletter.

I do get so so so VERY tired of the notion that the world is divided into Artists and Normal People and that the blessed gift of creativity has only been bestowed on those fragile and precious souls known as Artists. Creativity is an essential part of being human, and we only differ in the expressions of that creativity, whether it's writing novels, designing buildings or programming software.

[watersheerie.livejournal.com]

The blessed gift of creativity is only bestowed by the Great Muse upon a few great Artists, such as the Dark Queen LKH. LKH is fond of pointing out which few chosen Artists have been touched by the Goddess/Muse, which includes herself, and which ones are not.