Tuesday, October 6, 2020
Lecture Video #6: The World as a Work of Art
Be sure to get a copy of our next book, Lao Tzu's Tao te Ching, so you can answer the questions for next week (I'll post them soon). For now, here's a video that will introduce you to some key concepts in the book, and as always, there's a question to respond to as a comment. Enjoy (if you can)!
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William Carter
ReplyDeleteThere is a a portrait of a black panther creature hanging in my current room, and it does speak to me (metaphorically). It says "ferocious," it says "angry," it says "don't mess with me." I do love the attention to detail on the terrifying black eyes like it's hunting for its supper. Plus, I loves its mouth open, like it's roaring to intimidate lesser creatures. Honestly, it may not sell for much, but it does artistically please me. And to me, it does say "beautiful" and "priceless" and I would never sell it.
A great example...this picture might not mean much to most people, but because it represents you and your memories, it becomes more and more important. I have pictures like this that have traveled with me from apartment to apartment, house to house, state to state. My wife always wants me to throw them away, since to her they're "nothing." But I've made them "something" through my memories and experiences--they represent an important part of my life which is long gone, but which continues to be part of my life when I see it.
DeleteOne thing that is valuable to me that I really admire is a photo I have printed off in my room of my grandpa. He's sitting on a concrete slab outside of his house, and its a more worn down photo that I took, and he's petting one of his little mangey dogs that no one really pays any attention to. I love it because it shows the true character of who my grandpa was, the dog was so smelly and not a very cute dog but he sat there and pet it, and him and the dog just looked at each other with the same understanding. It's something that I would never give to anyone else, and no one would probably even want it, but every time I look at it, it makes my days a little better. The photo speaks to me no matter the situation, and I will always remember him as the guy who took no life for granted and made everyone feel so important.
ReplyDeleteAs in the previous comment (also about a photo), this is the greatest example of "something" coming out of "nothing." A picture is just that, a picture of someone we don't know. Unless we DO know them, in which case it becomes full of meaning, memories, and depth. I love to buy old photographs at flea markets which have been discarded over the years; some of them are 50-60 years old, and you don't know any of the people in them. You have to imagine who they were and why they were taken. Yet if someone who knew those people saw them, they would have so many stories to tell! Just as you do.
DeleteMonica Guajardo
ReplyDeleteOne thing that is special to me is polaroids of my friends and family. I have them hanging up on my vanity in my room. They are important to me and always will be. To me, pictures are priceless memories. That's why I love them and have them hanging up where I can see them every morning. It is one of my most favorite things to collect-- it could be friends, family, my dog or even a cute bug. I would never get rid of them.
Yes, a picture is a living symbol, since it represents the people, memories, and events that each one depicts. And yet, to someone else, it's just a picture--it means nothing. It's strange how a picture doesn't mean the same thing to every person, so it's definitely an example of "something" coming out of "nothing."
DeleteOne thing that is really special to me is a baseball bat that my high school coach got me my senior year. It's a beautiful bat with my name carved in it. It reminds me of how much a growing year that season was for me and how special it was to all my teammates and to our school in general. It was the beginning of a new age in that baseball program and I love seeing that bat in my room every time I go home. It's a reminder to me to never forget where I come from and to work my hardest in everything.
ReplyDeleteWonderful story and object--a great example of nothing becoming something! All because of how we imprint our memories and lives upon a simple object. And you can then draw a philosophical message from it, too, just like a poem!
DeleteThis is kind of a different approach but I’ll go ahead and share it. When I was 10 I was obsessed with dogs. We had a Rottweiler and I loved her to death. I also really enjoyed drawing back then. I got a few white shirts one day and drew pictures of my dog on the shirts. I use to wear them a lot very proud of my accomplishments. I got older and just gave them to my dad after our dog passed away. He absolutely loved it. But he wore it to the point where the white no longer white but a musky yellow. There’s several holes in it. It looks terrible. For the longest time he asked me to redraw the outline on it because it faded away. I finally ended up doing it this year see to how important it was to him. He now has it hanging up in his room. An old torn up shirt with an 10 year olds drawing on it. We’d have to give money to people in order to get ride of it. But my dad loves that thing. I appreciate that he still has it. It reminds me of the fun I use to have with my childhood dog. We wouldn’t get rid for it. It’s worthless to anyone else but we appreciate what it stands for.
ReplyDeleteWow, this is amazing, and exactly what I'm talking about...how something 'worthless' becomes the most valuable thing in the world. In a way, a shirt like this is a poem that speaks about your shared past, your beloved dog, and your relationship with your family. A poem does the same thing, helping us see how one thing can hold many things--or how a nothing can have the potential to become many 'somethings.'
DeleteYHelm:
ReplyDeleteYears ago, a dear friend's mom gave me something she had made. At the time, it was just a simple box, like a tea bag box, that she had covered and decorated with cut-outs from magazines and glued to it. I loved it because it reminded me of making Valentine's Day boxes at school when I was younger. I have kept that box for 12 years. Today, it houses jewelry and decorates my dresser. It reminds me of her gentle spirit, her creativity(she still loves to make things), her humor, and delightful laugh. She has and continues to be a person I love and aspire to emulate.
This is wonderful: the box is a poem, because it contains the soul (and memory) of this person, as well as its function. So literally, it is a bottomless box, since it can contain anything you want to put in it about her and your friendship. That's how many of the poems in the Tao te Ching work: they suggest a limitless experience that goes beyond a single page of a few words of a poem. They contain the world in a few lines, or, as one of the poems claims, "by looking out the window, you can see the whole world."
DeleteThere is about a piece of art hanging on my wall right in front of me. There is no monetary value to it, but it is valuable because of the memories that go with it. Memories, in my opinion, are the art. In 2011 my family hit a rough patch in life, so that April, Easter to be more exact, my mother, sister, and I had gone to my Aunt's house. My aunt is extremely creative and had saved her egg shells. She had an idea to take these empty egg shells, fill them with paint, and drop them onto a blank canvas. I did not expect anything to come out of it; however, I absolutely refuse to get rid of it. The "art" itself is absolutely worthless to others, but to me, it is worth an entire lifetime of paychecks. In my eyes, it is the most gorgeous painting I have ever laid my eyes on.
ReplyDeleteWow, that's amazing--this is EXACTLY what the Tao te Ching is talking about. Taking a "nothing" like used egg shells and making them into "something" (art). Most people would see nothing of value here, and would just toss them. But anything can become art, and thus, can become valuable depending on the perspective of the user or artist. She had a poet's eye for making the useless become useful, and now you can share that, too, whenever you look at the painting. Very cool!
DeleteMatthew Throneberry
ReplyDeleteDuring my senior year of basketball, I was given a regular ball with messages written on it from my teammates and coaches. It holds value you to me because when I look at it, it reminds me of them. To most people they see it as previous teammates, to me I see it as my family. Every message reminds me of the memories I’ve been blessed with. The ball shows me that family doesn’t always mean by blood.
This is so cool, because the ball has become a poem (though I bet you wouldn't consider is one!). And yet, each word conjures up a person and a memory, the way that a poem uses imagery and metaphors. So the ball is no longer a ball, but a container of memories and experiences. It also teaches you about family, which again is what a poem does: it shows that the words are merely directions toward a greater truth. This is a very Tao te Ching idea.
DeleteSomething that I find to be very valuable is a book given to me by a dear friend. Although the book is old and not necessarily special to all of Society's eyes, it is to me. In the book there is a note that was directly written for me, the contents and meaning behind the book, and the simple fact that I look up to the person who gave me the book all make this object so valuable in my eyes. I guess we can say this to any piece of literature, as literature is art in many ways. It is not the ink that gives the book or poem valuable, it really isn't even the words that give the work value, it's what you as a person make out of it that gives the object value.
ReplyDeleteGreat response, since a book is one of a million just like it, until your friend made it 'something' through his/her inscription. This is making the book a true work of art because it means something beside the book, and even apart from the meaning of the words/story. This is a great illustration of the idea!
DeleteI find sunsets/sunrises very beautiful to me. When I have the time and weather isn't affecting the way the sky looks, I will go outside and admire the magnificent colors of the sky. I love taking pictures with my phone just to go back and see it all over again. When I look at them, it makes the sadness go away (if I feel sad). Or if I have a bad day and there is a beautiful sunset, it'll make me feel a bit better. Sunsets/sunrises are incredible to watch as it changes the sky for a brief period of time before it gets darker or brighter, depending on the time of day it is. It may not be important or not worth it to anyone else, but for me it is worth seeing when it's possible and to cherish every bit of it before it disappears. They do get better and better each time, it seems. I love seeing pictures of them hanging on walls in places. It truly makes me happy on the inside.
ReplyDelete-Brittney Taylor
Yes, I love this idea, since sunsets/sunrises are literally 'nothing'--you can't own them or do anythign with them, can't sell them, etc. And yet, they enrich you immeasurably by giving you a sense of the wonder and beauty of nature, and also, allow you to see and reflect upon yourself. And then when you take a picture of it, you make it even more of 'something' since that picture captures one moment of a great event, that you can then examine and add new thoughts onto. So a single moment in time (nothing) becomes a work of art that you can save and pass on to others (something). This is a great reflection about how the 'uncarved block' (we'll read about that later) is there to take on our own designs and imaginations. Even nature can become a personal work of art, eve though it, itself, is art (and a different work of art for everyone who views it).
DeleteOne thing that I find valuable and special to me is the pictures hanging up in my dorm. Since I am from Texas I am about 3 hours away from home so sometimes I get homesick and looking at the pictures of my friends, family, and my boyfriend makes me feel alot better. I have so many pictures of my boyfriend hanging up in my dorm since I can't see him everyday since we do long distance and he lives in Texas too. Another thing thats is special to me is the notes and things my boyfriend got me before I left for college it's like I have a little piece of him with me everyday... especially the necklace with initial I wear everyday. (:
ReplyDeleteYes, this is a great example of 'nothing' that becomes 'something,' especially since these things have absolutely no value to anything else. But you can see the person behind them and your relationship, therefore if your dorm room went up in flames, you would save these instead of many more 'valuable' items. This is something the Tao te Ching wants us to see: that value, beauty, and goodness is subjective--it's not a universal quality. We might all agree that something is worth a lot of money, but we will also refuse money for specific 'worthless' things. And that's a big lesson we can apply throughout our lives.
DeleteSomething that I respect for it's artistic quality? I would like to think I am not a materialistic person, however, something I hold above all others is my dog, Roxeanne. Roxie is not only my best friend, but is also always there in times of emotional ineptitude. The question uses the words, "good, beautiful, and priceless," all of these terms describe Roxie. Although Roxie is a rather expensive breed, it is not the price tag that makes me value her. I value Roxie mainly due to the fact that she is in my opinion, an example of real good. Roxie although being a dog, is kind and sweet, and loves all people.
ReplyDeleteThis is wonderful--and it's exactly what I'm talking about. A dog is "nothing" to many people, unless it's a special breed, etc., But when you forge a bond with a dog, that dog is a family member, they're priceless to you. And in this case, you love her despite of her breed and actual value. You see her for herself, which is making the 'nothing' quality into something great. We need to look at more of the world like this, as something we can have a unique relationship with rather than "things" to use, or "things" we don't want to use.
DeleteALSO: Who are you?? :) Always put your name in the comments, otherwise I can't give you credit! Though I assure you Roxie will get credit for being a good girl.
Something that is valuable to me is a picture that I had given my grandpa. Growing up in a Mexican household girls usually have big parties when they turn 15. In my case when planning mine I made special invitations for my family with pictures of me in my dress. I gave every single one of my family members one, my grandpa being one of them. I remember walking into his room and he always had it right on top of his tv were everyone could see it. He even give my grandma some attitude one time that she cleaned and he couldn't find it. Sadly in 2018 my grandpa did pass away so it was a really rough time for me. I remember going into his room to help clean it once he was gone, and there was the picture frame that I had given him. I now have that frame in my room still with dust on it, but that one picture is so valuable to me. Its not worth anything, but to me that picture is everything. It reminds me of grandpa and all the love he had for me and that picture.
ReplyDeleteBrooklyn Barnes
ReplyDeleteI guess something valuable to me wouldn't be a certain material but the memories I had with my grandfather, he passed away when I was in sixth grade it was really hard for me and my family because we were constantly over at my grandparents house. I would go hunting with my grandpa and everyone always made fun us because we would like to take naps while waiting. I was very close with him and it was really hard for me to do the things we did together, used to I would go hunting every chance I got after he passed I would go maybe 3 or 4 times. Even though he was cranky sometimes he still cared about us, I know when he be watching tv and he have his eyes closed and we would change the channel, he would say hey I'm watching that. Then we would say you have your eyes closed and he would respond with that he was listening to it. I loved him very much and ill never forget any of the things we did together. These memories are priceless to me.
Something that I find super valuable is actually on my skin. It is my tattoo that says Nevertheless Isaiah 9:1. I got it for my good friend who died in an accident my senior year of high school. The verse says, "Nevertheless, this time of darkness and despair will not go on forever." This saying is what my friends and I used to help grieve and celebrate her life and also I pretty much use it in my everyday life now. Just whenever I have a bad day or something I turn it into something positive. Tattoos are a great way of showing value I think because it is permanent and people can really show who they are by what kind of tattoos they have.
ReplyDeleteyou know when you complement some one or help a stranger or do a kind deed i think that is so beautiful because a total stranger can make someones day but i also think we take that stuff for granted and skip over the thoughtful things and act like its not a big deal like say hey your hair is pretty i think you should always boost people up or like helping an elderly walk across the street always take that extra step and you can make someones day i think that what is beautiful that not everyone sees
ReplyDeleteSomething that is valuable to me is a sunflower. They are a symbol of my late dad, who passed a little over two years ago. They remind me of his bright attitude. Even though we weren't ever close in my younger years, and he wasn't much of a father to me in his later years, they remind me that he was a bright person. They come in all sizes, shapes, and colors. They are one of the most stunning things that I have ever been graced to see. Any time I drive by a cluster of them, I am reminded to hold on and just breathe. To push through my hardships...for my friends and for my family. Due to the fact that I struggle with anxiety and severe depression, it's hard for me to "just breathe". Which is why I have a tattoo of a sunflower and the words "Just breathe" on my collarbone. It's a tribute to my dad and a reminder to live for those I love. They truly are one of the most stunning things I have ever seen and I am blessed to see them when I am struggling to hold on.
ReplyDeleteMy family is the most important thing to me, especially my little brothers (4 and 8). So when they draw me something or get me something from a museum gift shop, I keep it and I think it is the most precious thing ever. They have sent me drawings since I have been away at college and I have kept every singe one and I hang up those crazy scribbles on my walls and display them like they should belong in a museum. To one they could seem like random colorful lines on a piece of paper but to me they remind me of how much I love and miss them. Every time I look at them they put a smile on my face and fill me with so much joy. I don't think even they know how much they mean to me. I will keep them for the rest of my life.
ReplyDeleteSomething to me that others wouldn't see as valuable would be my smashed pennies. I collect smashed pennies everywhere I go. Those machines at parks that you put two quarters in and a penny and pick what design you want on the penny than spin it until the penny pops out. I have A TON of those! I love to go on adventures. These little 51 cent tokens mean the world to me because it reminds me of where I have been and the memories that go with that certain place. To others they would just see them as a box of smashed pennies.
ReplyDeleteone thing that is special to me is not necessarily an object but it is spending quality time with the people i love and care for and just being in the moment and feeling the love from everyone around me and maybe even taking a picture or two, or even a little video to remember the moment by
ReplyDeleteOne thing I value is my name, oluwatobi. I value my name because it means God is great. Whenever I have issues or something troubling me, I remember how great God is and leave the rest to him. People who don't understand my language ask me for the meaning and instantly they fall in love my name. I cherish my name so much and a good name is better than riches or silver.
ReplyDelete