Posts by DCBCauchi
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Hard News: About Occupy Wall Street, in reply to Angus Robertson,
Steady State is based upon the premise that the Earth is a closed system. What if we wish to leave, go to Mars or Venus or Jupiter?
That's the whole point of having handy asteroids in orbit to mine and make things on. You go to a particular type of asteroid – there are shit loads of them – which we know how to do. You match velocities with the asteroid, which we know how to do. You attach some machines to the asteroid, which we know how to do. Robot ion engines, which we know how to build. The asteroid moves itself into geosynchronous orbit around the Earth. We go up to it and start digging holes, turn what we dig into machines in those holes. Eventually build a cable down to the ground and use the whole thing as a launchpad.
While nobody starves.
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Imagine walking through pretty much any central or northern Italian town in the mid-15th century. Not necessarily Florence. The Renaissance is in full swing, and people are busy all around you. New buildings are going up everywhere. Bold new buildings. Clean, airy, and classical, not dark, poky, and gothic. The streets are lined with open workshops. People making everything from scratch. But with a new way of looking at things.
They had plagues, wars, famines, pestilence to contend with, and a very imperfect knowledge. And they did something great. Why can't we?
What the hell are you moping about for!?!
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Hard News: About Occupy Wall Street, in reply to andin,
We have a wealth of information all around us yet we still screw up.
One definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over hoping that this time the outcome’ll be different.
Why do we keep screwing up? What are we doing or not doing with that information?
I have a strong intuition it’s to do with how we look at things. But I can’t put it into words. I reckon someone (Bart?) was on to a winner earlier in this thread speculating about the differences between short term and long term thinking. That’s what I meant by listening to people like me for a change. A bit of speculation. Even wild speculation. Especially wild speculation.
But that discussion kind of stopped. I hope it’s not because of me and my big mouth. It’s always getting me into trouble. But I’m paranoid (and, as my partner loves to tell me, somewhat grandiose). I can’t tell. So I'm going to go away now. The paint's dry anyway. Time for the last glazes.
And I do think it is to do with dredging through the past. Looking for things to learn and use.
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Let me just say this now, if this thing fails through timidity, timidity!, you will never hear the end of it.
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Hard News: About Occupy Wall Street, in reply to andin,
You think no one else has!
I think everyone does.
Fear, hopelessness, despair.
But I also know how to turn that into something productive. It’s what keeps me going.
I might sound like I confidently know all the answers, but I don’t. I know nothing. I’m just muddling along best as I can.
But I’m an artist. It’s my job to look around and put down what I see. Confidently. So I do. Something productive.
All I’m suggesting is that we all look at the world as artists do. See what happens. What have we got to lose? Those in charge seem like they’ve a really good grip on things eh?
We got into this mess by listening to the supposedly sane sensible ones. Well, I’m an insane artist. I wouldn't know what's sensible if it smacked me in the face. I reckon you should listen to people like me for a change. What have you got to lose?
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And let me be absolutely clear, just in case I have to.
Yes, I do have something called common-sense nihilism. And, yes, there is a Common-Sense Nihilist Party. These are art works, and I am an artist. You can’t convert to common-sense nihilism, by internal definition. I am the only member of that art movement. By definition. And there is no mechanism to join the party. The founding members have the cards I gave them, and that’s it.
I’m into this thing because I think it will work. I want to help make it work. I have something to say. That’s it. No hidden agenda. Definitely no fucking converts!
I'm an artist. I want to make the best paintings I can make. And I can't do that while the world goes to wrack and ruin. But that's all I want. To make paintings. You never know. You might like looking at them.
Now, I didn’t really need to say all that, did I? Can we just get on with it now?
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Hard News: About Occupy Wall Street, in reply to andin,
I’ve lived thru idealism, it sucks.
I’ve lived through despair. That sucks.
I’m going to believe in something again. Something of our very own. Something more than just making paintings for others despairing.
If it sounds a bit idealistic, even a bit (which is somewhat scary) religious, so be it. I don't care. It's what makes sense.
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Ben, and anyone else wavering, unsure.
With this thing, you need to believe and to commit. Because it's right. And because it's true. Because it makes sense.
Now I and many others could spend any amount of time you like giving you whatever reasons you need to convince yourself intellectually that it's right. But why waste that time?
To use an old phrase, you know in your water it's right. Trust your gut. Do the right thing.
I don't know about anyone else, but I'm sick of living in fear, this constant nagging grinding fear of the future. Bollocks to that. We don't need to live in there. There are things we can do. So let's do them.
It's time to stand up and be counted.
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And that’s kind of it in a nutshell.
With this thing that’s going on, everyone has a part to play. Everyone has something to say. Everyone has a place to stand.
For it to work, everyone has to do their bit. Everyone knows what they're good at. So do it.
Compulsory philosophy of science FTW!!!
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Hard News: About Occupy Wall Street, in reply to BenWilson,
Such as? Not being rude, but I’m in aporia too, so I’m teachable.
Such as bringing your very fine mind to the problems at hand. Where you see people struggling with something, give them a hand, tell them the way you see it.
I’m not sure where you live. But a keyboard connected to the internet is a very powerful tool indeed.
The best way to solve problems is to get a whole bunch of people who know how to do different things together to make suggestions and nut it all out. Break it down. Step by step. Piece by piece. Never losing sight of the picture-as-a-whole, no matter your momentary focus on this bit of the background here or that figure detail there.
Essentially, it’s all just one big project management problem. Whether you’re making a painting or whatever.
I've consulted widely while making my next show. People who know different things nutting it out together. And that's just for some paintings.
From what I've read of what you have to say, Ben, you have a large and important contribution to make. I shouldn't have to tell you this.