In this current pill popping culture we live in, are over-prescribed anti-depressants cutting short our ability to create truly soul searching, multilayered, art?
This is the question posed by World-Herald writer John Pitcher. Read his entire article here.
Is Dr. Phil putting the kibosh on deep, narrative art? What happens to the creative spirit in a world addicted to happiness? Bland sameness? Hallmark card poetry? Muzak?
I love the quote, "I am a lifelong melancholic. Ever since I was a kid, melancholy was like a special room where I would go to think and write." I spend time in that room too.
Posted by: Andrew | May 20, 2008 at 01:05 PM
I have to agree. But, I wonder if it's not fear of unhappiness but rather the fact that, in this day and age in America, the notion of the melancholic artist being supported either by a co-dependent partner or by grant subsidies may be less likely. The overall society now views "real artists" as those who make a living as one, and to get there, lots of support has to be there to keep the artist alive. Lots of those supports don't exist, so we have a generation of responsible, day-job artists like myself that have to keep a foot in both worlds.
For myself, once I became a mother, it became apparent to me why I had to go back to the medications. It has sapped my creative spirit, for sure, but I owe my kid a real mother who is present and able to help him cope. But, I do wonder if I'm killing off my soul in the process. It's a hard choice.
Federal grants for the individual artists would help a lot of us, but those dried up a lot thanks to Jesse Helms. I would not blame artists for having to be sane enough to keep alive. I would blame a society that does not value its artists enough to support them so they don't have to medicate to survive.
Oh, and I think the shrinking co-dependent partner market is a GOOD thing.
Posted by: Cathy | May 20, 2008 at 03:11 PM
I do not need pills and potions to cause my moods: the daily post is good at that, the guy on the telephone trying to cold sell to me, the endless lies on the news from politicians, clever journalists creating a story from nothing- the up blooding is endless!
Cooling off can be done by remembering just how small I am and everyone else has problems as bad or worse than mine!
It does get lonely in the studio though: but the radio news can get one boiling again!
Great blog
Posted by: Robert Mileham | June 20, 2008 at 06:23 PM
I do not need pills and potions to cause my moods: the daily post is good at that, the guy on the telephone trying to cold sell to me, the endless lies on the news from politicians, clever journalists creating a story from nothing- the up blooding is endless!
Cooling off can be done by remembering just how small I am and everyone else has problems as bad or worse than mine!
It does get lonely in the studio though: but the radio news can get one boiling again!
Great blog
Posted by: Robert Mileham | June 20, 2008 at 06:25 PM
i love it , it is the best nothing can beat it ya no i love it .
Posted by: chelsea | July 09, 2008 at 08:38 AM