The Exception[ality] of ART

A few years ago, casino-made-billionaire Steve Wynn decided to sell one of his Picassos. While he was showing off the nearly 50 million dollar painting, his poor vision and depth perception led him to put an elbow through it. Oops. The joke was that because it was Wynn who caused the damage and is so valuable himself, it actually increased the value of the painting.

While this is in jest, it lends commentary to what I believe is an important notion to consider in today’s society.

Sure, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. But when that beauty in art translates into a rigid monetary value and there is an overwhelming commercialist interest that outweighs the innate sublimity, I believe that beauty is invalidated.

Why do artists make art? I am not much of an artist myself, but I believe it is one of the select “industries” that exists outside of the business realm. Artists clearly (for the most part anyway) do not prioritize money over their work. They try to sell when they can, but from what I have observed, their masterpieces are more rewarding for them than the check received.

For the most part, I believe that capitalism trumps all. In rare instances with art or classical music, I think them to be something of an escape for the materialistic world in which we live. And sadly, this serenity is succumbing to the commercial market.

I know there are true art lovers and collectors, but so much of art is a sign of wealth and status. This is nothing new… in fact for hundreds of years governmental establishments across the globe have commissioned artists to construct pieces to make their kingdoms shinier than the next. We can thank that for the renaissance.

The difference is that other cultures have perceived art as a lifestyle and have treated it as such, keeping it a priority in their societies. It is a source of pride and the beauty is certainly not lost to commercial value in European countries. For us, the appreciation, the culture of the art is lost to the curiosity of financial worth. Art is an excuse for many to flaunt financial success. Plain and simple.

Wealthy elites tend to accommodate their homes with art not so that it can be appreciated by many, but so that their gross ability to finance some million dollar painting can be shown off to few.

Another point is the, for lack of a better word, “criticism” regarding copies and “fakes” in the art realm. There are companies that will hire painters to copy any piece of art for a few hundred bucks. And for the untrained eye, I don’t see how the copy would bring any less joy to an observer than the real thing. Except for that the real thing is that much more monetarily valuable.

I am not trying to downplay the incredibility of a masterpiece such as Picasso’s “Guernica” that could never be successfully copied to have the same effect. I respect the originality of design and experience, I only believe that too much weight is placed on having an original for the mere clout of having an original that is worth so very much. A value that has been calculated by the calls of the commercialist world and free market structure today.

How do we remedy this? I wish I had the solution. Increasing education of art appreciation is a step in the right direction, but the problem is larger than this. We have placed such a high value on simple money and displaying such that we need a return to authentic appreciation of beauty and intent. Like I said, I believe that the capitalist system is a necessary and good one, but it is should not be all encompassing.

Digging a WAY TOO DEEP Hole

Some would argue that the recent elections in Iraq and Afghanistan are the beginning of a path leading towards a democratic and peaceful Middle East. I would argue this path is now beginning at the base of the Mariana Trench. In other words, it has a REALLY REALLY REALLY long way to go before surfacing as a democratic region. And without any air for these countries to breathe on their own, they’ll suffocate due to foreign intervention suppressing their sovereignty

A nation’s ability to govern itself stems from its personal history and culture, not the other way around. A foreign government cannot effectively be used to shape culture, as we have seen time and time again through imperialism, colonialism, and now the seemingly selfless democratization. Reality check: these three words are essentially the same concept that has resurfaced under different names throughout periods of history.

America needs to accept that it can’t unilaterally solve the world’s political problems particularly in the Middle East, and while it can aid other countries, the US cannot completely redefine them.

The US political system has just evolved at an exponentially quick pace compared to those of other countries around the world. This is in part because we were so able to overthrow our colonialist roots. Hint Hint. Yet the fact that the US has fully embraced democracy and the system is functioning well at home does not mean that this political system is appropriate for all countries, at least at this point in time. This self-inflicted mentality that America is here to spread democracy across the world is prevalent, yet I believe unjustified.

The perpetual conflict between the Sunni, Shiite and Kurdish people is a deep religious and cultural battle that we in the western hemisphere attempt valiantly to understand. And while we can study the histories extensively, we cannot seem to sync these conflicts with out intended democratic solutions. We cannot superimpose our own ideals upon these people and expect them to put their own political cultures aside to conform to ours.

In order for a government to be considered “legitimate”, the leaders must be deemed authentic by the local people. Hamid Karzai has been endorsed by the US to lead Afghanistan, most recently in the 2009 election. Yet the election was ridden with fraud and ballot stuffing on both sides. While no suspicions of US involvement with the fraud have been proven, the suspicions themselves are enough to cast doubt on the legitimacy of the presidency. The people of Afghanistan need to have faith in their leader in order to follow him, and without this support, there can be little progress.

The truth is that the election of a US-supported candidate is not enough, and we simply do not have the resources to promote democratization indefinitely. It really is a long-term commitment of financial support and manpower.

In the 2002 creation of the Middle East Partnership Initiative, Collin Powell said “any approach to the Middle East that ignores its political, economic, and educational underdevelopment will be built upon sand”. Without continuing support in all of these areas, the countries will never be able to stand on their own. The US cannot cope with these needs alone.

Of course I am not condoning unchecked tyranny. But using political reform as the primary source of democratization is a mistake. There is the much quoted notion of “winning the hearts and minds” of the people. Well, the civilians don’t want to learn from the same people who have overturned their countries. Sending in US intelligence officers and troops to manipulate the media is not the answer. We need to put US tax dollars out of the equation and leave the work to civil society and NGOs. We need to reform international organizations like the UN and utilize multilateral support. The US already failed at doing this with the unilateral invasion of Iraq. I hope that history will not again repeat itself in this respect. While international organizations are not known for their efficiency, maybe by the time they are able to aid civil society better, the Middle East will be ready for a democratic system of government.

America is not here to baby sit and hold the Middle East’s hand. America is here to help illuminate a path through the darkness. Although the use of civil society and supranationalism is preferred, the ultimate responsibility is left to the afflicted countries. I am a firm believer that people, and likewise states, rise to occasions when they are presented with whole responsibility.