Let the Haters Hate, Art is An Act of Victory

They laugh at you. They say you are unworthy, not ready, not credible, not professional, too loud, too angry, pathetic, a nothing and a nobody.

They've been saying it for years.

They slyly tormented and gaslit you when all you wanted to do was connect with your fellow human beings and make great art and a better world.

I have a secret to to tell you...

A great many of those who sneer at you are utterly and absolutely dependent on punching down to feel like they exist in this world. And they don't make art. They make spectacle dedicated to stanning white cis male supremacy and it gets cringe-y as it gets old.

Toxic patriarchy is a con. But we know our Martin Scorsese films, crime has a fantastic sound track but it always ends up with a bunch of broken-down old thugs falling apart and pointing the fingers at each other in sad tailored suits as they trudge off to perdition and irrelevancy.

We live in a system of violence that is losing its camouflage every waking moment. All the folks who claim to be decent, good-hearted wholesome patriots/go-getters are now flexing their well-fed muscles to stomp on the vulnerable. Traditionally they only did it to people who could not cry out, but technology has made that impossible to hide behind closed doors. The echo chambers are ringing loud and proud. Be we are connecting to each other and getting smarter every day. We see each other, we honour each other, we give each other love and strength.

Women hating, trans and queer hating, immigrant hating are everywhere. And all the folks who are so surprised are the ones we have been shouting to (begging and pleading for years) to help us and be allies against oppression and all they could say was

"I see both sides."

"Both sides are at fault."

"That's not my experience."

"You're going about it the wrong way."

Or worse. They say nothing. Horrible horrible silence as they watch people being brutalized.

They have facilitated their own comfort (and eventually their own ruin) at every turn. The moral relativism of "good people" napping as human rights are molested and everyone who isn't a white cis man is shaking with terror.

Shake, shake, most certainly shake.

Shake it out and get to work. Art is the victory that hatred cannot defeat.

1. Your art is an act of life, a defiance against those who live off the spoils of commodified systemic cruelty. Someone will see your act of defiance. It will give them courage to flex their own humanity without shame because your art SAW THEM and gave them a respite, if only for a brief time, from the barrage of hubris-drenched vitriol all around and everywhere. Your art helps other people stay alive, and when you are gone, others will know you lived, AND YOU MATTERED.

2. You make the rules in your art. All of them. Rock them hard and gloriously and keep on rocking until you drop. Then rest. Rinse. Repeat.

3. Don't overthink it. That's what all the chaos mongers want. Don't let the shame and terror cloud your instincts. You know who you are and what art you want to make. If you don't yet, DO NOT BE ASHAMED. Wait, the inspiration will come. Connect with as much beauty and art and good people as possible. You can do it.

4. Honor your creative work and process as much as you honor yourself. Others will say what they want about your work. Art is a relationship with others, and sometimes people want to be violent instead of responsive. See the red flags, keep yourself safe and commune with those who know how to be creative corsairs and badasses riding out the shitstorm we find ourselves in.

5. LEAVE IT ALL ON THE FIELD. Don't hold back. Don't doubt you are supposed to be here. You are. If you are not welcome, move on and find your place. Develop your unique technique. Adore your own voice. Have joy. Have life. Find your people. But dammit to hell...

GIVE'ER.

I believe in you.

-FM-