Salutations and welcome to Selective; the publication where I give myself the leeway to be fastidious and opinionated about things that are completely subjective like art, film & literature (especially literature). Don’t be fooled though; neither I, nor you, dear reader, are the hoity-toity art critic floating above the measly artistes on their high horse expertise - quite the opposite.
For in this space, it is we who are the artists, the storytellers, the creative sparks, and in order to ascend in our crafts we must view the world through a selective lens, (see what I did there)?
“We’re not pretentious, we’re selective” will hopefully become your new favorite phrase.
The Importance of Critical Consumption
Have you noticed something… draining in today’s sphere of entertainment? From an over saturation of underwhelming, formulaic stories, to the looming threat of derivative, AI amalgamations? To the slurry of content that has grown into a fast-paced blur?
What does this mean for the new creative fostering their craft in this environment? What do we look to? What do we aspire for? How do we sustain the stories and beauty within our souls begging to be let out?
So many questions to a complex problem, and while the solutions are vast and undoubtedly systemic, the answer for us as individuals is simple.
We must consume critically, in good faith. Engage our mind with our heart, and most of all, exercise a muscle that has grown rather weak in today’s age; critical thinking. Something school tries to teach us, but unfortunately has been weighed down by the shackles of bureaucracy.
But how do we exercise this part of our brain? And better yet, how do we even hope to apply this to our own art to create a true diamond in a sea of slough?
I won’t claim to be some “know it all” with all the answers, but I will stand with you, dear reader, hand in hand, as we traverse this sea together.
We’ll discover what works, what doesn’t, what pulls at the heartstrings. We’ll chip away the marble stone until the statue inside is revealed. And when all is said and done, we will walk away confident, skilled, and hopeful that even in this tumultuous artistic landscape, our voices have value.
“We are the music makers, And we are the dreamers of dreams”
Ode by Arthur O'Shaughnessy
I am so hyped about this!!!
This is going to be such a fun ride! Substance, value, and critical thinking make a great cocktail 🥂