The Stupidity of the Arts

This sounds like a harsh title, and perhaps it is - but I must say what the "arts" seem like from the perspective of someone educated in the modern psychologies and neurosciences.

Now, metaphysics and psychology are two different sorts of analyses that happen through the same structure: the brain. In this sense, psychology is more primary and essential than metaphysics, since the latter can dissociate us from the here and now, from the motivations which project me forward in relation to the cuing of the social surround.

The Mystery of Intentionality

“When the interpersonal context is congruent with the hedonic context model, then feedforward control by dorsal networks is adequate for synchronizing internal and external information in a kind of intersubjective whole. But when there is a discrepant prediction, as when the child’s intentions diverge from the parent’s, then anxiety and ventral limbic engagement leads not only to a cognitive representation of the external control, but a paradoxical separation of the self from the represented external context.” – Donald Tucker, Phan Luu, Cognition and Neural Development, pg. 123, Oxford, 2012

There is a sort of explicitness about scientific analysis that makes it venerable, and profoundly useful for moral and spiritual guidance.

Conversely, take any Oscar Wilde quote,

“Most people are other people. Their thoughts are someone else’s opinions, their lives a mimicry, their passions a quotation.”

“If one cannot enjoy reading a book over and over again, there is no use in reading it at all.”

“Anyone who lives within their means suffers from a lack of imagination.”

The first quote is an overstatement. Wilde seems to be aiming for the idea that he is more creative than other people; and yes, it sure does feel good to be so advantaged (in education) and free (because of what you've been afforded), but it was downright wrong for him to think that he wasn't as defined and determined by his environment and his relations as anyone else. The truth is, as a self-organizing unit built from trillions upon trillions of parts, the self is constructed by the tensional integrities its phenomenological experience qualtiatively represents. Homeostasis and interpersonal expectation govern consciousness. Wilde wasn't beyond this; in fact, he was exceptionally like the people he associated with; he and they are very much alike. It's what mirroring systems like us can't help but do.

The second statement just goes to show what sort of mania motivated so many of Wilde's opinions. This doesn't even need to be analyzed; the sort of reading Wilde has in mind - literature - has a different aim from the sort of reading that brings about genuine progress in society: non-fiction i.e. scientific, inductive, deductive.

And the last, I believe, speaks to the sorts of feelings which Wilde apparently lived with: an excessive need to 'be different' - to differentiate himself, in thought, feeling, orientation.

The "love" he apparently showed wasn't very real, or deep, or consistent; his representation of himself was an idealization, a blasé romanticization that "tickled his fancy". It's as if he were permanently tuned to 'irony', to pretending; to being 'outside' the human experience; an alien.

Yet the 'alien' has desires to feel and to feel in all and every way it can. It's a strange paradox. It withdraws from the world with the underlying motive to regulate the self, but then in acting, the self takes privilege and licence to do whatever they want.

I find this deplorable, but it is surprisingly easy to do.

“For the dorsal division of the frontopolar region, the projections to the rostral TRN proceed to the anterior nuclei of the thalamus, which regulate the cingulate cortex. In this way, dorsal frontal polar region can be seen as effecting the representation of the regulatory function, a form of cognitive process that directly engages subcortical controls in a way that directs corticolimbic processing hierarchically. This may be a way to understand the neural mechanisms of effortful control emerging from impulsivity. With a base in the elementary motive impetus from dorsal limbic networks, the dorsal frontal pole allows a hierarchic organization of intentionality to achieve a more cognitively mediated and flexible form of self-regulation.” – Donald Tucker, Phan Luu, Cognition and Neural Development, pg. 131-132, Oxford, 2012

Oscar Wilde considered himself 'unique', but the neuroscience - and facts of the matter - is that he was a self-regulating organism who benefited from privilege after privilege, only to speak acidly about the world he existed within. This Janus faced attitude - a gluttonous indulgence in sensuous things, while withdrawing from concern or care for emotional and interpersonal affects, is almost too amazing, from my perspective, since the self is absolutely a function of interpersonal recognition - those moments where a 'continuum' forms between your intentionality and anothers intentionality - where the "agreement" between states forms an in phase state that results in a dyadic expansion of consciousness in both parties.

Your ontological ability to regulate your feelings, in other words, derives from outside you. The strength of your intentionality is a measure of your history of interpersonal recognition dynamics. Is that not profound? And isn't it utterly amazing how deceitfully useless powerful clichés from clichés like Oscar Wilde are?

The cliché is a powerful constructor of social reality, governing the formation of intentional states around those interactions where a particularly powerful social value was expressed. The observation of the expression of a 'tough guy' speaking to another guy is not a neutral experience, but always educative: it teaches the brain 'what to desire'. Like all social animals, we are unfortunately subject to fear dynamics, which leads to the creation of the sort of human reality we presently live.

While I consider myself a liberal, I do not find much in common with mainstream liberalism, and hence I prefer the term "progressive" to discriminate myself from the postmodern confusion that makes so much of modern day liberal doctrine - sexual identity politics, above all - so incredibly hypocritical (for being out of touch with the needs of most people) and therefore profoundly irritating, for having the gall to pretend to be able to effectively lead society.

The only true liberal is the person who thinks reasonably. If logic doesn't seem to you, as it seems to me, as that 'connecting' tissue which brings one person closer to another person, than I don't know what else I can say - but that to not notice that, to not recognize that reason is the 'code' we are built with to reconcile our conflicts, and improve our personal regulation (and therefore our sense of wellbeing) is to cut a hole through us, and between us, and indeed, this is what todays culture has become: a perforated, leaky, dying being; a being which requires reason to maintain its structure, but which is falling apart, bit by bit, as 'feeling', and the neediness of the projectional system, overwhelms the coherency of vigilant constraint.

Well........YEA.....

" I prefer the term "progressive"


There's so many ways to do it, Eastern, Occidental, numerous Tribal. Location, location, location. Gone beyond, gone beyond beyond, Hail the goer

If Oscar were here to defend himself, I would suggest he could do it glibly and with ease. No fair picking on a dead man.

It’s too bad we didn’t go from Ancient Greece to faster than light travel all in one.
This ~3000 year drag is such a drag.

a reply to: Astrocyte

I must say what the "arts" seem like from the perspective of someone educated in the modern psychologies and neurosciences.

I must say, you haven't done that well, not well at all.

Maybe you should get yourself down to the local gallery, perhaps even one of modern art. It might do you well because it sounds like you're psyching yourself up for a good old fashioned book burning.

a reply to: Astrocyte

I disagree entirely. Yes beauty is in the eye of the beholder. But I truly believe our imagination is the most sublime human quality. It allows us to imagine and create worse yes. It also allows for the dream and hope of something unexplored as of yet. A better day so to speak.

Art is dumb.

But I like it.

Seems to me that you just don't like Wilde. It's understandable, for all that he is feted as a writer, his quotes really put me in mind of someone who is a bit of a bully.

I don't really see how what you wrote can be seen to prove that art is dumb.

a reply to: SprocketUK

A frilly bully, if not a woolly bully.

a reply to: Phage

Another post, another awesome song, Phage. You are on a roll, mate.

a reply to: SprocketUK

I found out who he really is.
Higgins from Magnum P.I.

Oh and that's a compliment.

a reply to: Astrocyte

Art meant a lot back not even 70 years ago and beyond to people. It was an expression of a brilliant mind.
You are looking at it from a perspective of someone who understands the human mind a little to much, but that's only because of modern medical science.

Imagine living 600 years ago and walking through an art gallery, anyone could see the amazing moments captured by the artist, old, rich, poor, educated, uneducated, etc. can all gaze on something that was captured in time because of someones amazing talent. Of course in today's world art doesn't mean nearly the same, but even 50 some odd years ago music played a HUGE role society, and still does.

a reply to: Astrocyte

as a graffiti artist , I often think , where do all my ideas and imaginations come from , the depths of the source of the one!

as we all stand on shoulders of giants, styles are not our own , nothing really is our own!

People who wish to elevate themselves above everyone else only do so through their own ego demands !

when in reality the fact is , we are social and should be in co-operation with creation , it seems to be the way its meant to be !

its all pointing towards, creation as what we humans are meant to do!
create and build and create some more
but do it together

just my thoughts, do I have free will , am I creating from my own mind

I am not so sure

originally posted by: sapien82
just my thoughts, do I have free will , am I creating from my own mind

I am not so sure

The belief is that they are 'your thoughts' but really they are just thoughts.
The word 'I' is used so much in sentences - but what is this 'I'?
Is there really 'someone' that can have freewill?

a reply to: Itisnowagain

Aye that's what I mean , hahah ego aside we cant claim any thoughts as our own!
the self , which is why I think all of the consciousness is a field we tap into ,
and its not the individual "i" but the one , the source of all information !

we should draw upon the creative power of the one , together!

originally posted by: sapien82
a reply to: Itisnowagain

Aye that's what I mean , hahah ego aside we cant claim any thoughts as our own!
the self , which is why I think all of the consciousness is a field we tap into ,
and its not the individual "i" but the one , the source of all information !

we should draw upon the creative power of the one , together!

But 'who' could draw on this creative power of the one?
There is only the one.
Whatever appears to be happening is what there is - and it is aware of itself.

The one can appear as drawing,

a reply to: Itisnowagain

itself , through you or I

we all are the one

so its ours

I guess , we can draw upon our own strength and imagination from the source

well " I am you and you are me and we are all together"

funny how the ego then tells you " thats my artwork" , "thats my painting"
I created this! , I came up with the idea

OH DID YE AYE!

So you are helping me paint a piece this weekend, its a Thai Naga !
so get thinking

a reply to: Astrocyte

I think art has an important role in furthering our understanding of ourselves. And I think Oscar Wilde was searching for a better understanding of his world and himself.

Collected data show that through history art was a useful tool for education, and strengthening morale and thought. According to present art results, holds a very close relationship with men’s soul. This relation and impact have developed up to the point that an academic perceptional discipline i.e. psychology of art speaks about understanding and characteristics of art and artworks established. Specifically, structural and environmental psychology is two major branches. The structural psychology considers characteristics of mind when communicate with an artwork, however, environmental psychology reflects environmental condition affect the artist soul or the impact of artist on the conditions. All of people are interested in music, architecture; painting, sculpturing and other art branches take the art concepts seriously. Another result is that art is a conceptual matter that indicates a cultural continuity since by understanding art this cultural continuity could be perceived consequently and interaction of art and psychology can give a special sense to art activities which man’s creativity would be perceived at the end. Growth of psychology of art in recent decades accompanied growth of art history that the role of art in treatment of mental and psychological disorders is one of its signs. Many psychologists and artist such as Freud, Wolfing , Vermeer, Frinfeld and Wilhelm lived from mid - 19th century to mid - 20th played a crucial role in establishment of psychology of art. They did endeavor to how art is potential to make a positive and effective relationship with psychology to improve man’s interpersonal and intrapersonal relations.

jlsb.science-line.com...

You don't love someone for their looks, or their clothes, or for their fancy car, but because they sing a song only you can hear. Wilde

The true mystery of the world is the visible, not the invisible. Wilde

a reply to: InTheLight

if humans did not create art then we wouldnt have lasted as long !

Art is the source expression of humanity
its how the source is expressed through our species !

if we didnt have art , we wouldnt be human !