two cents

I don’t know where to begin with my feelings about the financial crisis, save to say that I’ve been quite distracted all week. This is very serious, and it makes me very angry. In a time like this, I feel it’s my duty as a citizen to throw politics aside and help in any way I can. But alas, I’m an artist- what can I possibly do?

Of course, it’s true that what I do still influences culture, but it’s a process acting slowly, and usually beneath the radar. That’s not what our country needs- we need swift, explicit action, and only a select few people are equipped to be effective this way. The rest of the country sits on the sidelines, hoping the men and women in Nancy Pelosi’s office make the right decision.

But we’ve still got a right to be angry! If I make bad art, it’s not as if anyone has to look at it. If a restaurant owner does a bad job, only a handful of people lose their jobs and the patrons find somewhere else to eat. The money-men do a bad job (Sub-prime lending? Are you stupid?), and now we’ve got to deal with the consequences.

It’s just another example of how life isn’t fair, but consider the following:

Criticism of a job poorly done is only valid on one condition- that we go to our own jobs and work very damned hard! Whether you’re a waitress, a salesman or a designer- just go out there and produce! Students, you’d better study like never before, for the same responsibility will fall on you before this is over. Now is when we must rise above expectations, even expectations of ourselves.

Our country is in a crisis but the people are far from powerless. It’s time to prove that there’s more to this country than money- NOW GET OUT THERE AND WORK!