Bad times. Genuinely bad times for so many people. And what of the future? What of education? The arts are being cut from schools with the sharpest of blades. "No child left behind" means that indeed all children will be left behind. The system is set-up to squash creativity, real creativity that allows the soul to sing. We are creating test takers. We instead are left with the creativity of those who figure out how to gauge the system. Those are the creative types who are respected now. Even many of the successful artists are little more than frauds, working the gallery system to get ahead, make money, become famous. Look at Wall Street and their creativity. Maybe if those people had been taught to think and value something other than money we wouldn't be in this mess. Too many MBA's were handed out and not enough BFA's.
Too many kids will either quit school because it doesn't speak to them or come out of the 12 year grind rudderless except for the thought they must succeed. They must make money. What a sad and empty future they see extending before them.
Perhaps make copies of the card below and send it to all who work at Goldman Sachs, possibly the most heinous group of greed creators I ever recall. They make Madoff look like a chump for getting caught.
Click on image to see it larger.
Posts
So true. I remember being urged to learn for the sake of learning in college,rather than as preparation for employment. I bought into it 100%. That was a beautiful four years, and then I tried to find a job.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, off on a tangent...
This card got me thinking about Miss Anderson's address. Presidio Terrace is a very nice address, but I wonder what Van Ness looked like in 1914. I would assume that with all of the earthquake destruction and demolition it wouldn't have been so wonderful. What do you think?
Oh I was in a foul mood yesterday as I began work on a book by someone who worked in the Bush administration. The more I read the more ticked off I got. But it's work. I keep my mouth shut. I started thinking of the "no child..." policy and just get angrier.
ReplyDeleteYou know, I have quite a few cards from the same time period where people are just sending cards back and forth in San Francisco. I have wondered if this was being done because it was still so difficult to get around town. But then, by 1915 I think the Exposition was on so it's possible Van Ness was in pretty good shape since it runs down to the Wharf.
I have to say I agree about the test-taking generation. In Scotland we are about to introduce a 'Curriculum for Excellence' which will try to recognise more than just academic prowess, we shall see if it is successful.
ReplyDeleteLove the style of the card as well as the sentiment.
Sorry I didn't see it sooner. I'm in a spot now where I'm doing what I want to do with the art thing, and I really don't want to make a lot of money doing it. I LIKE doing the art for the sake of art, and sharing what is a gift which was freely given to me.
ReplyDeleteYes, much to the dismay of members of my family I never hungered for money. I want to be comfortable. I cannot completely forgo my ethics for money. Okay, I take that all back. The job I'm working on has me queasy. I am keeping my mouth shut. It pays money. Very little, but for now it will help me to scrape by.I would prefer to not be doing work for these people.
ReplyDelete