Can art make a peaceful difference in our world? This site thinks so. Given the creation of art itself is typically a peaceful process, wouldn't it make sense it could create more peace.
What if all the soldiers in the world turned into artists? Utopian, I know, but what if?
What if all the children in the countries at war, exchanged art projects, even simple drawings, sketches, or coloring? Would that foster peace in the next generation?
What if all the homeless (and refugees) drew pictures on tiles or colored them. Then they were used to coat our public buildings, fences, walls, walkways, etc...? Would it not help them contribute to society and get used to investing in society? Bellevue WA has used tiles on fences around subdivisions and apartment complexes, that from the street look like a striking use of art for public good. I can imagine if a person has their own tile up on public display the sense of pride it would instill. Don't we need more of this in the world?
What if all the art produced in schools, ended up on permanent public display in some way, inside a public building or outside on a public byway (foot or vehicular)? Would it hurt to save the art of multiple generations and make permanent public landmarks from it? Are the only worthy artists of permanent public display the Da Vinci's or Michelangelo's of the world? I think not.
What if each one of our homes was an art gallery? Imagine each piece of furniture, each home appliance, or any displayed piece of stuff, instead of being a mass produced, mass marketed, lowest cost, yet decidedly non-unique item in our environment was uniquely created by ourselves, a local artisan, or anyone of modest artistic talent? We would be putting our dollars back into our local community, would that be so bad?
What if we could pick the patterns we had in our home, not from Wallmart's limited selection, but from a worldwide select of patterns, colors and textures? Once we picked them, a local person would turn it into reality so more of our dollars stay in our own community.
What if we could learn about other cultures through the exchange of art, and it wasn't just an occasional display at a local art museum, but integrated into our lives on a daily/hourly basis? A constant learning process, an enhanced understanding of who the people we say are evil, or who we are bombing really are as people?
What if those who might bomb us, had expressions of our peaceful nature integrated into their lives, would they be so eager to bomb us?
Would art exchange lead to a better understanding between diverse cultures and political views? Would this improve the world?
The neysayers might complain about art being of little real world help, so why put so much effort, why not just write a book or make a documentary? Something that can be copied over and over for less money? Because it is one point of view I would counter. How many people actually see the documentaries or read the books? We are all inundated with movies and books about less important topics. Where is the real world value in that? People find value in understanding our world, and connecting with others, that is why we have sister cities in foreign countries. For cultural exchange. What about allowing everyone with an interest to play the role of artist and contribute to cultural exchange?
What if you could write to an artist that created a particular piece you liked and ask them for the reasons behind the piece and the meaning that it holds for them? Would that not be of interest and of value, connecting people across the world? Like penpals from the old days?
What if lawmakers received public expressions of interest and values through art? If nothing else C-Span would be more lively as that art was displayed as part of the congressional record. Send your congressional representative your expressions today.
What if we got to know people from around the world, and stayed in tune with their artistic expression, would we know more or less about their moods and their lives through their art?
I will part with this last thought. Art is some of the most expensive stuff society has ever collected. Masters might be rare, and therefore one of their limited pieces can be worthy of the lifetimes salary of a common person. Artists used to be rare in days that people had to really work a long day's hard labor to feed their family. Could there be time in the average American's day, which includes 4 hours of TV per day, to create art? If it promoted world peace by sharing cultural values across political and economic borders would it be worth it?
Monday, March 31, 2008
Sunday, March 16, 2008
What small change can you do to make the world that you live in better?
Another Deepak Chopra question from Yahoo Answers:
What small change can you do to make the world that you live in better?
Best Answer - Chosen by Asker
... I think that the best way to contribute to the change of the world is by changing ourselves and, in that form, changing the energy we provide the world with would bring in, what you call, a critical mass that eventually will bring a big world change.
By changing ourselves, we change the energy we add to the general consensus, and in that form, we contribute with some light and wisdom in a world of ignorance and darkness.
I have read in many books and in the net that we don't need to fight the darkness, The way to "fight" it is just by bringing light into it. That is what we have to become , a candle in the darkest night.
Angel
Peru
Deepak's Rating:
5 out of 5
Deepak's Comment:
Your answer makes 2 beautiful points & shows a deep understanding of consciousness:
1) We have to be the change that we want to see in the world, as stated by Mahatma Gandhi.
2) When enough people undergo personal transformation, it automatically leads to social transformation.
What small change can you do to make the world that you live in better?
Best Answer - Chosen by Asker
... I think that the best way to contribute to the change of the world is by changing ourselves and, in that form, changing the energy we provide the world with would bring in, what you call, a critical mass that eventually will bring a big world change.
By changing ourselves, we change the energy we add to the general consensus, and in that form, we contribute with some light and wisdom in a world of ignorance and darkness.
I have read in many books and in the net that we don't need to fight the darkness, The way to "fight" it is just by bringing light into it. That is what we have to become , a candle in the darkest night.
Angel
Peru
Deepak's Rating:
5 out of 5
Deepak's Comment:
Your answer makes 2 beautiful points & shows a deep understanding of consciousness:
1) We have to be the change that we want to see in the world, as stated by Mahatma Gandhi.
2) When enough people undergo personal transformation, it automatically leads to social transformation.
YouTube Peace Video Channel
I have created a channel on YouTube to record videos I find that I identify with as promoting Peace. Sometimes they may be graphic, sometimes they may contain music, they inspire me, will they inspire you?
What would I do for peace?
I would write songs that made people cry over the past, and then lifted their spirits in hope for the future to the point of laughter.
I would create a sculpture of light that people could interact with to see what is going on in this world, the sorrow, the joy, the tragedies and the miracles. People would learn what good effect occasional simple acts and what bad effects frequent inaction have on this world. It would teach compassion for all living things and at the same time intolerance for the actions of those you abuse this world without regard for other living beings, we are all related. This light, sound and touch sculpture would give back, small sculptures as momentos of your experience.
I would dance, a funny little jig, to inspire others to live with wild abandon, and tread lightly upon our common cosmic room, we call earth.
I would tell stories of my life, what else do I know? The stories would clearly show a person dissatisfied with their own commitment to date, but willing to change their future.
I would create a sculpture of light that people could interact with to see what is going on in this world, the sorrow, the joy, the tragedies and the miracles. People would learn what good effect occasional simple acts and what bad effects frequent inaction have on this world. It would teach compassion for all living things and at the same time intolerance for the actions of those you abuse this world without regard for other living beings, we are all related. This light, sound and touch sculpture would give back, small sculptures as momentos of your experience.
I would dance, a funny little jig, to inspire others to live with wild abandon, and tread lightly upon our common cosmic room, we call earth.
I would tell stories of my life, what else do I know? The stories would clearly show a person dissatisfied with their own commitment to date, but willing to change their future.
Saturday, March 15, 2008
Winter Soldier
Winter Soldier features over 50 veterans of the Afghanistan and Iraq wars testifying to the public about their experiences. Is this the first step in healing the nation? Will people listen? Will people take action to create peace once they know the truth? If it is worse than you thought, would you take action to create peace? Write your politcal representative? Participate in a march for peace? Tell your friends to support peace? How much will it take? How bad does it have to get? Before we call for peace, demand peace of our government for the people?
Sunday, March 2, 2008
Giving as a source of peace
If we give of ourselves or our possessions, we foster less conflict in our lives. That which we put out into the world comes back to us, over and over. Giving therefore is a precursor to receiving. We give ourselves to a job and it will return payment. We give ourselves to our children and they will grow up to make us proud.
Somethings we freely give. What about giving that which we do not want? What is the return on that? If we allow it to be so, we get returns in at least two significant ways. One is the gift itself, it's effect on us from making someone else happy. Two is the reward we can give ourself for the detachment from a treasured possession. Some prophets have taught to give everything and attach to nothing, in this way we can live a fully life of true freedom and happiness. Once we have detached we will not feel the sorrow of loss.
If it is this simple, why then is there war in the world? Giving others the right of free choice, allows them to choose to make war on us or others. Detaching from the notion they have to use freedom peacefully, is like a gift. If they absolutely are attached to getting what they need from us, it would be our detachment and gift that would create peace. If we say, it is they who should see the world as I do and not require me to give that which I do not want to give, we may be righteous, but if we go to war to keep our possessions, we will ultimately be as responsible for the lack of peace as those making the war.
What about security, if my security is threatened, don't I have the right to protect myself and loved ones? We all have a duty built into our history and nature to sustain life, sustain our species. Any threat to ourselves will likely be met to an autonomous response as often as not to protect ourselves. An autonomous response is not a threat to peace, it is the premediated act that threatens peace. Yes small numbers of us may get harmed in this method, but is that not happening already? Is there not premeditated war, war machines, built and procescuted from nothing more than fear?
Somethings we freely give. What about giving that which we do not want? What is the return on that? If we allow it to be so, we get returns in at least two significant ways. One is the gift itself, it's effect on us from making someone else happy. Two is the reward we can give ourself for the detachment from a treasured possession. Some prophets have taught to give everything and attach to nothing, in this way we can live a fully life of true freedom and happiness. Once we have detached we will not feel the sorrow of loss.
If it is this simple, why then is there war in the world? Giving others the right of free choice, allows them to choose to make war on us or others. Detaching from the notion they have to use freedom peacefully, is like a gift. If they absolutely are attached to getting what they need from us, it would be our detachment and gift that would create peace. If we say, it is they who should see the world as I do and not require me to give that which I do not want to give, we may be righteous, but if we go to war to keep our possessions, we will ultimately be as responsible for the lack of peace as those making the war.
What about security, if my security is threatened, don't I have the right to protect myself and loved ones? We all have a duty built into our history and nature to sustain life, sustain our species. Any threat to ourselves will likely be met to an autonomous response as often as not to protect ourselves. An autonomous response is not a threat to peace, it is the premediated act that threatens peace. Yes small numbers of us may get harmed in this method, but is that not happening already? Is there not premeditated war, war machines, built and procescuted from nothing more than fear?
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