Appreciate this. Modern America needs this, feels very 90s and Gen X to me. The smartphone and social media era had a tyranny of positivity that has mutated in such ugly and dangerous ways. Authentic™Positivity that was rotting people from within. Look at the rise of anxiety, depression, suicide, opioids, etc as everyone worked so hard to post an enviable on-point life and become curators of their brand. Then the inevitable lashing out on comment threads, in the streets. We need bad ass elders to get us back on the path of looking at the darkness and channeling it into someone productive vs numbing or raging.
I think she is right. I have been channeling my own rage into writing about my father -- from whom I am blissfully estranged and usually pretend doesn't exist. I don't think writing is therapy, but sometimes it's meditation; it transmutes rage into art (not that I am claiming -- not yet anyway -- that anything I have written is art). Also, WHAT ELSE CAN YOU DO WITH ALL THE INSANE BULLSHIT GOING ON RIGHT NOW. Sorry to scream.
I love the anger-as-fuel and no-I-won't-tell-you-about-my-creative-process sentiments! While I understand it's important to be gentle with ourselves during times like these, it also feels very...American? Like, our feelings are valid, but also, we should be furious. Some of the greatest art comes from anger, and it can feel very therapeutic, and yield from truly gritty results, when you allow your anger to flow through your art. I always think my best characters are the angry ones, the ones who reflect little slices of me that I subconsciously repress for fear of repulsing others with their ugliness.
In short, Rei Kawakubo is fascinating and I cannot wait to read more about her. Thanks for sharing!
"but when we’re all being inundated with so much lazy thinking, lack of imagination, and outright bullshit..." Well, sometimes I indulge in lazy thinking, and sometimes I feel my imagination is dried up, and yes, I can cook up some good bullshit too. My parents, extended family elders, and parents-in-law have been managing all this drama with much grace and patience... There is a calm acceptance coupled with a simple intention to do whatever one can. It is hugely inspiring to me. As for writing, I am a "goalless" writer. I love writing, and I do it as and when I am inspired. I wrote some good stuff during the early days of the lockdown, and I still enjoy reading those pieces.
I completely agree with Rei Kawakubo. Keep working...but keep working at what you want to do and don't let the infuriating things that are happening in the world (and in your city/town, neighborhood, social circle) stop you from doing what you were put on this earth to do. I have not stopped working and creating since the pandemic began. If I have a down day, I take time off and rest. I believe in rest and take time every day and every week to rejuvenate myself. I also try to have something in my daily work that I look forward to doing. I'm moving forward slowly but surely. This pandemic time has been productive and fruitful for me. I don't talk about it much because it seems to irritate and annoy people (like "How dare you be productive when I'm falling apart!!!"). Thanks for this latest newsletter, Mason. I needed to read this today.
Appreciate this. Modern America needs this, feels very 90s and Gen X to me. The smartphone and social media era had a tyranny of positivity that has mutated in such ugly and dangerous ways. Authentic™Positivity that was rotting people from within. Look at the rise of anxiety, depression, suicide, opioids, etc as everyone worked so hard to post an enviable on-point life and become curators of their brand. Then the inevitable lashing out on comment threads, in the streets. We need bad ass elders to get us back on the path of looking at the darkness and channeling it into someone productive vs numbing or raging.
I think she is right. I have been channeling my own rage into writing about my father -- from whom I am blissfully estranged and usually pretend doesn't exist. I don't think writing is therapy, but sometimes it's meditation; it transmutes rage into art (not that I am claiming -- not yet anyway -- that anything I have written is art). Also, WHAT ELSE CAN YOU DO WITH ALL THE INSANE BULLSHIT GOING ON RIGHT NOW. Sorry to scream.
I love the anger-as-fuel and no-I-won't-tell-you-about-my-creative-process sentiments! While I understand it's important to be gentle with ourselves during times like these, it also feels very...American? Like, our feelings are valid, but also, we should be furious. Some of the greatest art comes from anger, and it can feel very therapeutic, and yield from truly gritty results, when you allow your anger to flow through your art. I always think my best characters are the angry ones, the ones who reflect little slices of me that I subconsciously repress for fear of repulsing others with their ugliness.
In short, Rei Kawakubo is fascinating and I cannot wait to read more about her. Thanks for sharing!
"but when we’re all being inundated with so much lazy thinking, lack of imagination, and outright bullshit..." Well, sometimes I indulge in lazy thinking, and sometimes I feel my imagination is dried up, and yes, I can cook up some good bullshit too. My parents, extended family elders, and parents-in-law have been managing all this drama with much grace and patience... There is a calm acceptance coupled with a simple intention to do whatever one can. It is hugely inspiring to me. As for writing, I am a "goalless" writer. I love writing, and I do it as and when I am inspired. I wrote some good stuff during the early days of the lockdown, and I still enjoy reading those pieces.
I completely agree with Rei Kawakubo. Keep working...but keep working at what you want to do and don't let the infuriating things that are happening in the world (and in your city/town, neighborhood, social circle) stop you from doing what you were put on this earth to do. I have not stopped working and creating since the pandemic began. If I have a down day, I take time off and rest. I believe in rest and take time every day and every week to rejuvenate myself. I also try to have something in my daily work that I look forward to doing. I'm moving forward slowly but surely. This pandemic time has been productive and fruitful for me. I don't talk about it much because it seems to irritate and annoy people (like "How dare you be productive when I'm falling apart!!!"). Thanks for this latest newsletter, Mason. I needed to read this today.