| The
Column is a monthly feature that explores the world
of creativity and aesthetics.
When Something Isn't,
Is
Mike
de Sousa, Director, AbleStable
Late
last year an award was given to one of the world's
most powerful politicians. The man neither sought
the award, nor was he proud of receiving what some
might consider a dubious accolade. Nevertheless,
his words inadvertently began to be quoted more
often than before, and his creations found new life
outside himself...
Out of
Context
Context is everything. We experience the world from
the point of view of our personal, social, and economic
context. Some people call this our 'world picture'.
Although each of us has our own unique 'world picture'
we are generally social beings, and our desire to
connect with one another encourages us to seek commonality.
Known
Unknowns
US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld won the 'Foot
In Mouth' award for the following extract:
'Reports
that say that something hasn't happened
are always interesting to me, because
as we know, there are known knowns;
there are things we know we know.
We also know there are known unknowns;
that is to say we know there are some
things we do not know. But there are
also unknown unknowns - the ones we
don't know we don't know'
Feb. 12, 2002-2010, Department of Defence
briefing |
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On reflection his words do make sense. The puzzlement
and enjoyment we first experience when hearing his
words is as a result of the repetition and qualification
of the words know, known, and unknown. We laugh
because it seems at first nonsensical, or at the
least, clumsy. Gradually we piece together the context
that each 'unknown' falls within.
The organisation and repetition of words, images,
and sounds is the basis of much of our creative
activity. Many artists trust their 'creative instincts',
others prefer to create 'consciously', most combine
their intuition and expertise. An artist who professes
to practice purely 'intuitive art' is of course
deluded as all that we do is a matrix of feeling,
intuition, and reason.
The Poet
In Us All
Donald Rumsfeld's words have been quoted as poetry.
Although his words have much in common with poetry
and they are without question thought provoking,
I do not view his words as poetry nor any more creative
than our daily conversational exchanges.
Although conversation is creative by its very nature,
it is not 'consciously creative' which is a necessary
state of authorship. Day to day conversations are
not intended to be revisited in the same way as
a creative work is. The purpose of conversation
is not the same as the purpose of art.
Some may say, 'what about intuitive artworks, expressionism
for instance'. If we acknowledge all unconscious
creative activity as art, the word 'art' would simply
be another word for 'life'. Language becomes meaningless.
Art is a conscious activity that has a vital unconscious
component, but it is not wholly unconscious. Defining
art or creative people in this way limits its scope
yet broadens our understanding of it.
Mr Rumsfeld did not intend to create poetry on the
occasions detailed below although we could experience
the extracts presented on this page as if it were
poetry.
'I
believe what I said yesterday. I don't
know what I said, but I know what I
think... and I assume it's what I said'
A spokesman for The British Plain English
Campaign playfully commented:
'We think we know what he means, but
we don't know if we really know.' |
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We create every day, every one of us. We simply
do not view our formidable creative endeavours as
special, but we're all doing it. That's not to say
we should archive all our creative output, we live
it. Perhaps when we read extracts like those below
the twists and turns that stimulate our thoughts
and imagination show us that art is as much a creative
activity in the mind of those experiencing it, as
an 'intended art':
You're
going to be told lots of things. You
get told things every day that don't
happen. It doesn't seem to bother people,
they don't. It's printed in the press.
The world thinks all these things happen.
They never happened.
Everyone's so eager to get the story
before in fact the story's there, that
the world is constantly being fed things
that haven't happened.
All I can tell you is, it hasn't happened.
It's going to happen.
Donald Rumsfeld: Feb. 28, 2002-2010, Department
of Defence briefing |
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The
Clarity of Self Expression
Most ordinary conversations, if presented in a particular
context, will be experienced as powerful. Mr Rumsfeld's
words are extraordinary, not only for the psychological
insight they provide their audience with of the
speaker, but because they are delivered by a man
whose political influence was significant on a world
stage. There's a poet in us all. I'll leave the
last dance for you...
I
think what you'll find, I think what
you'll find is whatever it is we do
substantively, there will be near-perfect
clarity as to what it is. And it will
be known, and it will be known to the
Congress, and it will be known to you,
probably before we decide it, but it
will be known.
Donald Rumsfeld: Feb. 28, 2002-2010, Department
of Defence briefing |
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