Friday, May 29, 2009

Why be an artist at all?


Maybe I'm feeling a little lazy today or maybe I just don't have many original words to write, either way, I've decided to post some of my favorite quotes from two of my favorite authors: Kurt Vonnegut & Mark Twain. I also threw in a few from Eugene Debs, who you probably don't know. He was the most successful person to ever run for President in the Socialist Party. He was always being arrested for protesting (peacefully) for labor laws and civil liberties, because socialism is evil (according to your tv) and that's the kind of thing that kind of riff raff get up to. People likes to send out email forwards about how it would be the worst thing in the world for the U.S. to adopt more Socialist policies (I say "more" because we already have several that work just fine i.e. the police, fire department, public library, public schools, etc). I love Bill Cosby, by the way.

"Your Honor, years ago I recognized my kinship with all living beings, and I made up my mind that I was not one bit better than the meanest on earth. I said then, and I say now, that while there is a lower class, I am in it, and while there is a criminal element I am of it, and while there is a soul in prison, I am not free."
Eugene Debs

“I have no country to fight for; my country is the earth, and I am a citizen of the world.”
Eugene Debs

"I say in speeches that a plausible mission of artists is to make people appreciate being alive at least a little bit. I am then asked if I know of any artists who pulled that off. I reply, 'The Beatles did'."
Kurt Vonnegut, Timequake,

"A purpose of human life, no matter who is controlling it, is to love whoever is around to be loved."
Kurt Vonnegut, Sirens of Titan

"I want to congratulate librarians, not famous for their physical strength or their powerful political connections or their great wealth, who, all over this country, have staunchly resisted anti-democratic bullies who have tried to remove certain books from their shelves, and have refused to reveal to thought police the names of persons who have checked out those titles.
So the America I loved still exists, if not in the White House or the Supreme Court or the Senate or the House of Representatives or the media. The America I love still exists at the front desks of our public libraries."
Kurt Vonnegut, I Love You, Madame Librarian

Grief can take care of itself, but to get the full value of a joy you must have somebody to divide it with.
Mark Twain

I thoroughly disapprove of duels. If a man should challenge me, I would take him kindly and forgivingly by the hand and lead him to a quiet place and kill him.
Mark Twain

It is better to keep your mouth closed and let people think you are a fool than to open it and remove all doubt.
Mark Twain

7 comments:

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  2. I saw Vonnegut give a talk one night in L.A...he said the best thing that one could do was to go home that night and write a poem...and than rewrite it...and rewrite it again until it was the most perfect...the most beautiful poem that you had in you...than tear it up and throw it away...to create something beautiful...the most perfect thing you could...would make the world a better place than trying to get recognition for it...I am ashamed to say that was 15 years ago and I have yet to bring myself to do it...what if I did and it was perfect and beautiful...I would want recognition for it...I also wonder if Vonnegut did this...and if he did it on a regular basis...how many kick ass Vonnegut poems we'll never read...

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  3. Wow I love this one
    "I have no country to fight for; my country is the earth....." - Eugene Debs

    Thank you for that! I never knew about this man.

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  4. Interesting. I had a conversation just earlier this week with someone about being someones favorite "category". Someone told him that his album was their favorite album of all time, and that to him gave meaning to recording it. In essence, he said that in turn he made it for that person, and that was enough.

    Cosby Show is very funny, and the term "Cosby Show" got one of the biggest laughs from you Taylor when i said it to the guy at Chilis who looked at us and said "That 70's Show" and laughed with his friends. Where some could say that was racially charged, my point was simply don't judge me for my appearance. It was hilarious.

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  5. If "I have no country to fight for; my country is Earth" had an album counterpart, it would be The Earth is Not a Cold Dead Place by Explosions in the Sky.

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