Author Topic: Motivation  (Read 651 times)

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Shep

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Motivation
« on: October 22, 2015, 01:53:43 pm »
Was browsing again, came across this board and came up with a question.
How do you motivate yourself to work on something you find of absolutely no value or little gain.

I'm currently taking a studio art class (because it's required) which covers queer history in abstract/modern/surrealist art. I'm actually currently in class (the first time i've come for 2 weeks oops) and though I tried to come in with an open mind, if I see another obscure collage or poster shoving some touchy feely bulls-h-i-t ideology down my throat I'm going to shoot myself  >:( . Where do you all find motivation for spending time on things you deem... less than important? I'm not anti art or anything either don't get that idea, I love William Turner and other early 1800 painters maybe I'm just too much of a traditionalist in this sense for the class, but regardless how do you all find motivation in tedium?


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Holden

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Re: Motivation
« Reply #1 on: October 22, 2015, 02:59:27 pm »
Any topic that bores me-that's conventional,conservative,orthodox,straight laced-I turn it..weird.

But then I AM DEGENERATE :-[
La Tristesse Durera Toujours                                  (The Sadness Lasts Forever ...)
-van Gogh.

Nation of One

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Re: Motivation
« Reply #2 on: October 22, 2015, 05:14:16 pm »
Motivation is tough.  I can hardly stay motivated to even stay focused on things that normally interest me.  There is this sense of "what's the point?"

I remember when I was employed as a maintenance worker in a park, sitting around the lunch room table, wanting to sneak out a mathematics textbook or even Schopenhauer's WWR, how an older worker would berate me for "wasting my time with that sh1t," how I should be learning about something practical like "wall-paper".   ::)

Now, I am not one for "high art" but I am impressed with artists since I can barely draw cartoons.  I try to stick to geometric figures.

You are taking a course that is required?  I don't know how you would motivate yourself.  Take it as a life experience, I suppose.  There are many different kinds of people in this world.  You can't fake interest though.  You may feel "outside" of it.  I even feel this way about mathematics sometimes, always just curious.   So much seems to be a farce.  We are conditioned to think everything we put energy into must have a purpose.  Maybe this has to do with roots in agricultural societies where one had to work hard to extract sustenance from the earth.  Industrialization is also grounded in the hard realities of practical mechanics. 

I think that, in ancient times, universities were reserved for the "leisure class" or even "priestly class", so what was studied was supposed to be useless.   In fact, usefulness was never a high priority in the classic University.

Sorry I don't have any tips or tricks for you.  I see my own interest in studying mathematics as kind of deviant in that many might suggest I just find some humble employment to occupy my time rather than studying areas of math that may just frustrate me.

You may want to zero in on one character that interests you.  The only connection I feel with "Surrealist Art" would be Artaud.   He was a madman.  Many people are mad.   Use this as an opportunity to look into Antonin Artaud.  If you can fit this into the course, it may be enough to motivate you.  And remember, people are strange.  One is weirder than the next.   

We are a strange creature, and we are here on earth to fart around.  Unfortunately for those who attempt to impose order on this chaos, not all of us can be molded into productive chimpanzees who follow instructions. 

Anyway, all I can suggest is to try to include ...

When I took a philosophy class, Schopenhauer was not covered by the professor, so I taught the professor about Schopenhauer in my papers.

So, be safe.  Be careful out there.  People are running amuck.  Take it all in stride and be safe.
« Last Edit: October 22, 2015, 08:02:04 pm by H »
Things They Will Never Tell YouArthur Schopenhauer has been the most radical and defiant of all troublemakers.

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