I appreciate greatly this sentence,"We’re on a perennial quest for knowledge and ideas that inform rather than educate, that supplement rather than provoke, that reaffirm rather than disrupt."
The modern world presents us all with such odd territory. In my perspective is also that knowledge without questioning and contemplation is empty. I need to ask myself how often I devour instead of educate myself.
That is certainly very true Renee. It is so easy to get caught up in the web of consumption given how addictive and accessible social media and other real-time feeds are. I feel the entire online ecosystem needs a re-alignment of priorities and values. Too often we're engaged online without ever actually being present with the ideas that are communicated. Which is why social media sites have become opiniated echo chambers often without much substance. Reacting to a piece of content is now the default etiquette as opposed to truly grappling with what it says. And funnily enough I suspect most people are aware of this but "devouring" as you succinctly put it always seems to be the more convenient option. It is a strange predicament to be in!
Default etiquette--brilliant description of online interaction. As I truly don't nestle comfortably into any group, or thought-group, I find my fingers hovering over the keyboard, wanting to add something, but recognizing, by scanning other responses, that my questions or thoughts would be viewed with great suspicion. I think we humans are operating on fear most of the time and conform, shying away from discomfort, as it brings to the surface our shadows of doubt. But there are pockets of sunshine, like your publications, that give a space for questions, and I am thankful!
My sentiments exactly. There seems to be a rather primitive logic to how most online communities work - most discussions on Twitter for example (in my experience) are often bereft of any nuance. And I think the reason behind this is, as you succinctly mentioned, about the inner anxiety around embracing ambiguity and discomfort. It is easier to oppose or agree with an idea than take the middle ground. I previously wrote about the difficulty we have when it comes to "sitting on the fence" - https://waitjustlisten.substack.com/p/the-value-of-sitting-on-the-fence?s=w
I am going to go to your article "sitting on the fence". Nuance is such a key word, as I see it. Black and white thinking is on the surface an easier road, but this thinking destroys critical thinking. I also think it destroys our capacity to be compassionate. (which, at this point in my awareness, I've come to understand isn't simple warm fuzzy feelings, but loving-kindness supported by wisdom). Sorry to write yet another long response! :)
I am so glad you said all this! I get irritated every time some entity online talks about a "curated" collection when they never had anyone in mind but themselves. They made a list. They used technology when a truly curated offering is indeed connected by many well-thought-out dots, some of which are discovered only after taking time to reflect on a collection. When I walk through a photographic exhibit, for example, I love the glimmerings I catch of how it was put together, all the obvious and less obvious connections.
Thanks Elizabeth! That's a wonderful point that I hadn't thought about: the notion of curation and self-indulgence. Also I find "curated" collection of links are usually more meaningful when the author expresses how the content fits in their worldview and what it could potentially offer the reader or even how it may sit uneasily with some frameworks we have of the world.
I agree that technology (or how we've come to use it as a digital repository for anything and everything) has really flattened the process of curation. I think more conversations need to be had around how online curation can be as meaningful and engaging (and heartfelt) as what one experiences when walking through an exhibition. I've so much to learn about this subject!
The obscure and unknown, or often just something emergent from the fringe of popular culture is the lifeblood of creativity. That was definitely lost to a world of algorithms based upon "popularity". A wonderful essay 👍
Thanks Brian and you’ve summarised it elegantly. I find it fascinating in how creativity or moments of creative expression often stem from an assemblage of disparate ideas from the realms of the known and unknown - a liminal space in its own right.
I agree that it would be challenging for any algorithm to account for this sense of fluidity as they work purely on known quantities. But who knows what the future of computing and programming holds? 😅🤔
Interesting, I had never tied curation with our ability (or inability) to be with the unknown. As a photographer, I do a LOT of curation really. I mean, I take hundreds of photos nearly very day and a long time ago I decided I would post a sunrise in the morning, a more artistic photo in the evening and then one other interesting subject during the day. Sometimes I can't resist an extra post, like in the middle of migration when something really cool happens, but mostly I stick to this. Same with my weekly posts and selecting the photos for them.
My biggest thought on this is that when I go to museums the curations often feel cold and lifeless to me. Like they were too intellectually selected with not enough feeling. I do try to select everything I post based on feeling. (Which is interesting, because I've learned that my feeling from a photo won't match the recipient.) None the less, it's far less intellectual than feeling based (and in feeling I'd include sensing, intuition and emotion at least). I have a friend who owns a very successful art gallery and her curations never feel lifeless. I suspect this is because she's coming from the feeling perspective and she's always aware of the feeling she's generating in her gallery. She lives in an apartment attached to the gallery - it's literally part of her.
I know so many great artists that can't get past academia and museum snobbery but they produce the most amazing artwork that makes me feel and ponder the unkonwn. So I can see that even in those curated spaces, the unknown is not very popular. Big blobs of blue splashed on a canvas can go for thousands of dollars but intriguing shapes, shadows and images that make us feel are hard to come by.
Beautifully articulated Karen! Interesting and absolutely fascinating to hear your perspective on curation from someone who actively works in the field and is sensitive to the nuances curation requisites. I agree that over intellectualising the process stifles it of any feeling and creativity. I guess there has to be a certain organic flow to how a curation is assembled.
In that regard I’ve always thought of curation as part of an active process of discovery without a necessarily defined outcome (even if there is a rough structure in place). I do wonder if the inherent uncertainty/fluidity around how a particular topic or narrative would evolve (as part of an end-product), is what gives the entire process meaning to both the author and audience. So while there is a particular sensibility driving the process, the result and overall meaning and mood/vibe it conveys is always open to interpretation.
Your comment has given me so much to think about and ponder on. It’s such a complex subject!
I appreciate greatly this sentence,"We’re on a perennial quest for knowledge and ideas that inform rather than educate, that supplement rather than provoke, that reaffirm rather than disrupt."
The modern world presents us all with such odd territory. In my perspective is also that knowledge without questioning and contemplation is empty. I need to ask myself how often I devour instead of educate myself.
Thank you for another wonderful publication!
That is certainly very true Renee. It is so easy to get caught up in the web of consumption given how addictive and accessible social media and other real-time feeds are. I feel the entire online ecosystem needs a re-alignment of priorities and values. Too often we're engaged online without ever actually being present with the ideas that are communicated. Which is why social media sites have become opiniated echo chambers often without much substance. Reacting to a piece of content is now the default etiquette as opposed to truly grappling with what it says. And funnily enough I suspect most people are aware of this but "devouring" as you succinctly put it always seems to be the more convenient option. It is a strange predicament to be in!
Default etiquette--brilliant description of online interaction. As I truly don't nestle comfortably into any group, or thought-group, I find my fingers hovering over the keyboard, wanting to add something, but recognizing, by scanning other responses, that my questions or thoughts would be viewed with great suspicion. I think we humans are operating on fear most of the time and conform, shying away from discomfort, as it brings to the surface our shadows of doubt. But there are pockets of sunshine, like your publications, that give a space for questions, and I am thankful!
My sentiments exactly. There seems to be a rather primitive logic to how most online communities work - most discussions on Twitter for example (in my experience) are often bereft of any nuance. And I think the reason behind this is, as you succinctly mentioned, about the inner anxiety around embracing ambiguity and discomfort. It is easier to oppose or agree with an idea than take the middle ground. I previously wrote about the difficulty we have when it comes to "sitting on the fence" - https://waitjustlisten.substack.com/p/the-value-of-sitting-on-the-fence?s=w
I am going to go to your article "sitting on the fence". Nuance is such a key word, as I see it. Black and white thinking is on the surface an easier road, but this thinking destroys critical thinking. I also think it destroys our capacity to be compassionate. (which, at this point in my awareness, I've come to understand isn't simple warm fuzzy feelings, but loving-kindness supported by wisdom). Sorry to write yet another long response! :)
I am so glad you said all this! I get irritated every time some entity online talks about a "curated" collection when they never had anyone in mind but themselves. They made a list. They used technology when a truly curated offering is indeed connected by many well-thought-out dots, some of which are discovered only after taking time to reflect on a collection. When I walk through a photographic exhibit, for example, I love the glimmerings I catch of how it was put together, all the obvious and less obvious connections.
Thanks Elizabeth! That's a wonderful point that I hadn't thought about: the notion of curation and self-indulgence. Also I find "curated" collection of links are usually more meaningful when the author expresses how the content fits in their worldview and what it could potentially offer the reader or even how it may sit uneasily with some frameworks we have of the world.
I agree that technology (or how we've come to use it as a digital repository for anything and everything) has really flattened the process of curation. I think more conversations need to be had around how online curation can be as meaningful and engaging (and heartfelt) as what one experiences when walking through an exhibition. I've so much to learn about this subject!
The obscure and unknown, or often just something emergent from the fringe of popular culture is the lifeblood of creativity. That was definitely lost to a world of algorithms based upon "popularity". A wonderful essay 👍
Thanks Brian and you’ve summarised it elegantly. I find it fascinating in how creativity or moments of creative expression often stem from an assemblage of disparate ideas from the realms of the known and unknown - a liminal space in its own right.
I agree that it would be challenging for any algorithm to account for this sense of fluidity as they work purely on known quantities. But who knows what the future of computing and programming holds? 😅🤔
Interesting, I had never tied curation with our ability (or inability) to be with the unknown. As a photographer, I do a LOT of curation really. I mean, I take hundreds of photos nearly very day and a long time ago I decided I would post a sunrise in the morning, a more artistic photo in the evening and then one other interesting subject during the day. Sometimes I can't resist an extra post, like in the middle of migration when something really cool happens, but mostly I stick to this. Same with my weekly posts and selecting the photos for them.
My biggest thought on this is that when I go to museums the curations often feel cold and lifeless to me. Like they were too intellectually selected with not enough feeling. I do try to select everything I post based on feeling. (Which is interesting, because I've learned that my feeling from a photo won't match the recipient.) None the less, it's far less intellectual than feeling based (and in feeling I'd include sensing, intuition and emotion at least). I have a friend who owns a very successful art gallery and her curations never feel lifeless. I suspect this is because she's coming from the feeling perspective and she's always aware of the feeling she's generating in her gallery. She lives in an apartment attached to the gallery - it's literally part of her.
I know so many great artists that can't get past academia and museum snobbery but they produce the most amazing artwork that makes me feel and ponder the unkonwn. So I can see that even in those curated spaces, the unknown is not very popular. Big blobs of blue splashed on a canvas can go for thousands of dollars but intriguing shapes, shadows and images that make us feel are hard to come by.
Beautifully articulated Karen! Interesting and absolutely fascinating to hear your perspective on curation from someone who actively works in the field and is sensitive to the nuances curation requisites. I agree that over intellectualising the process stifles it of any feeling and creativity. I guess there has to be a certain organic flow to how a curation is assembled.
In that regard I’ve always thought of curation as part of an active process of discovery without a necessarily defined outcome (even if there is a rough structure in place). I do wonder if the inherent uncertainty/fluidity around how a particular topic or narrative would evolve (as part of an end-product), is what gives the entire process meaning to both the author and audience. So while there is a particular sensibility driving the process, the result and overall meaning and mood/vibe it conveys is always open to interpretation.
Your comment has given me so much to think about and ponder on. It’s such a complex subject!
It is so complex. AND a great curator is an absolute artist in their own right.
PS - I've thought about how I might curate a yearly calendar and it seems like an unbelievable challenge to get down to 12 images!