Here I was wondering what to write about tonight..
So here's the background:
Swedish Enterprise officials have been sitting in their lair thinking of new fun filled ways to make the world a slightly blander and darker place.
The latest scheme they have been cooking up is a plan that will reduce financial aids to students studying art and/or humanity related subjects.
The reason for this being that it is allegedly more difficult to gain proper employment after one has completed ones studies which would mean student loans and grants would take longer time to be repaid in full and thus would be..bluntly put a drain on society.
That is not their wording of course.. but that pretty much what the deal is.
Before I get into this, I should point out that I have never studied at a university level.
I am not a complete outsider though. I have in my years that I have been an active.. let's call it helper elf on campus picked some stuff and I am no idiot so I can deduce quite a bit from the little I have heard, seen and to some degree taken part of.
That said, there are people far more informed as far as this debate goes and it's mechanics. Everything beyond this point is my personal views and are in no way made in any official capacity.These are just my feelings on an attitude that I find offensive.
Just take it for what it is.
As a musician I know first hand how certain circles tend to look at my profession of choice.
It is viewed as a hobby. Something one does on weekends but eventually gives up to become part of the "real world".
I recall in high school the art students being mocked for being a bunch of lazy stoners who threw paint at bits of pieces of paper.
Same as anyone who had an ambition to live off music. It was seen as pipe dreams.
A thing as improbable and realistic as saying one hoped to get a job as a superhero or a knight.
Silly silly ideas for silly people not to be taken seriously.
I was a young, insecure kid back then. I truly believed them to be right.
Today, I know better.
I recently watched a Doctor Who episode that featured Van Gogh.
He is today seen as one of the greats ( and rightfully so I might add) but during his own lifetime he was mocked. He in fact did not have his "big break" until after his death.
Of course that was then and this was now. We in the west are a very enlightened bunch of people who understand the value, importance and long term impact that art can have on society and nurture it right? Well..
To be fare, not every person who picks up a paint brush is going to be a Van Gogh and not everyone who picks up a guitar is going to be a Bob Dylan.
But the thing is this: You never really know.
There is no way to tell what the long term impact that one person can have.
Do you think when John Lennon picked up a guitar for the first time his peers, family and teachers knew what was to come? Of course not!
I'm sure their he got some resistance along the way.. it's kind of part of the rock and roll thing isn't it?
One needs a machine to rage against.. but this new thing is something more.
The fact that someone who wishes to study art history for example not only has a rough road ahead of him or herself (like I said..not everyone makes it) just due to the nature of the field but now there a people who want to at an official capacity make things even more difficult to save a few bucks.
Jesus, I cannot believe I just wrote that in the year 2011..
It is mind boggling that this is even an idea that I'm sure more than a few people think is a good one.
If one gains proper employment in ANY field it has to do with one factor regardless to what field it is: How hard you want to work for it.
To claim that art and humanity students are less likely to make it due the subjects being "flakey" is just complete bullshit.
Why aren't they pulling funds for the people studying political science instead? Not to offend anyone if that is your true passion but from what I gather it kinda looks like this:
(Young Johnny has just completed his studies in political science and received his degree )
Johnny: Boo yah! I have my degree! What now?
His Professor: You can teach political science!
Johnny: To who?
The Prof: Some other guys
Johnny: Ok. What will they do?
The Prof: Teach it to some other guys!
They want to take money from us (you know what I mean) and pat the backs of the guys who pretty much received oodles of money and wasted years of their lives in a fucking pyramid scheme!
I am of course, taking this example to an extreme level.
I am sure that is not quite the case.. but I don't get that idea that they should be seen as more productive members of society than someone with an ambition go into the field of archaeology for example.
Let me tell you something, lazy fucking leeches come in all shapes and sizes.
Artists, scientists, historians whatever.. you name it. It is therefore horribly unfair to make an assumption that people with a passion for something creative are going to end up costing society more money.
Creativity is very important. The ability to make something real out of nothing is truly a force of nature and should not be underestimated.
Music has time and time again proved to have to have the ability to change things. Real and important things. During the Vietnam war the protest songs that we're born from the fury people felt in no small way changed the course of Americas involvement.
In a world like ours in times like these there is more than a few things wrong that could use some changing.
Where are all the songs that say no?
Where is art from sane minds that make people question what is being presented?
They simply aren't there.
I don't know if this exclusively has to due with the attitude I have been ranting about.. but I do feel the fucking last thing we want to do right now is make it more difficult for people with something to say to get a chance to say it.. whatever it might be!
I think this whole thing can reduced to this final thought:
Humanity studies.
It contains the word "human".
There is a reason for that.
/Beard
