A Cautionary Tale About Money and Art Very often states deploy Arts funding systems to help Artists develop their work, and sometimes, with the best of intentions, it doesn't work out as intended. This essay explores an imaginary country's attempts, and the problems associated with allowing artistic freedom within a state controlled arts funding system … Continue reading The Next Big Thing
A Perspective on Raymond Williams “Culture is Ordinary”
Raymond Williams Culture is Ordinary (1958) "Raymond Williams (1921-1988) was an author, academic, cultural theorist, literary critic, public intellectual, socialist, and a leading figure of the New Left. He was the son of working-class parents from a Welsh border village, an adult education tutor, a Cambridge professor, and, according to Terry Eagleton, was and wasn’t … Continue reading A Perspective on Raymond Williams “Culture is Ordinary”
More Notes on Story
In terms of navigating and understanding the world we live in, few things are more important than the idea of story. Through the mechanism of story we piece together what we perceive as reality in terms of cause and effect. We are therefore part of a bigger story. Story telling thus can give a supremely … Continue reading More Notes on Story
Music and Me
For the longest time music has had the profoundest effect on me. Though quasi orgasmic in its effect some respects, I would more liken the effect of music on me to be more like a trip. It was only after I actually began to use drugs as an adult that I very quickly realized that … Continue reading Music and Me
History and Fiction, or Whatever You’re Having Yourself…
In the country I live in right now, Poland, I see the suppression of intellectuals, especially historians, and thinkers and writers, primarily through the use of the courts. A Warsaw court on Tuesday (January 2021) forced some historians to apologize to the niece of a World War II-era Polish mayor whom they reported in their … Continue reading History and Fiction, or Whatever You’re Having Yourself…
Things I never Knew about the Poet William Blake – that is, Until Recently.
One of the most important poets in the English language, or indeed any language, was born November 28, 1757 in London, England. He remained largely unknown during his lifetime. Though he had an established reputation as an engraver of considerable gifts, his reputation as a poet, something that he achieved world historical repute for in … Continue reading Things I never Knew about the Poet William Blake – that is, Until Recently.
Online Teaching and Learning: My Own Experience of it…
My job, since I came to Poland (8 months or so) has been largely online teaching since the Covid epidemic took off. Considering the incredible virulence of the pandemic, and taking into account the death rate, and that the virus has already begun to mutate, not to mention that for much of 2020 no vaccine … Continue reading Online Teaching and Learning: My Own Experience of it…
The Useful Idiot
Donald Trump's disastrous destructive four years of US presidency, undoubtedly the worst POTUS in history and a cautionary tale for all leaders, is but the latest part of what makes up many decades of his toxic career. Its a career screened by a showman's capacity to obscure what actually went on. To himself and to … Continue reading The Useful Idiot
Santa Claus and Fly Agaric
Image derived from: http://www.photographers-resource.co.uk/images/Diary/Wildlife/Oct_wildlife/fly_agaric.jpg high as a kite...we think... The Amanita Muscaria or Fly Agaric is not a fungi you would want to eat, at least not unless you are a reindeer or a deer. Around these parts we call them muchomor czerwony, which means red fly agaric, the word 'mucha' (pronounced moook) means 'fly', … Continue reading Santa Claus and Fly Agaric
The Organ Grinder’s Monkey
Herman J. Mankiewicz and the writing of Citizen Kane Herman Jacob Mankiewicz (November 7, 1897 - March 5, 1953) was a fascinating man, a deeply troubled man, a man of excess, a man of compassion, contradiction, and great humanity. He also held a grudge like no other. Being gifted he went to Hollywood, and, like … Continue reading The Organ Grinder’s Monkey
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