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Collaboration
Firstly, to me, life is collaboration. Rarely have I done anything that was wholly a result of singular thought confined to my mind. Rather, everything I can recall has been the result of influence and discussion and suggestions and review and me taking an idea that was inspired by an event, person, or circumstance, adding my thoughts and spin to it, and presenting it to the requisite audience be it family, friends, peers, or students.
As an example, I have consistently received feedback that I am an excellent teacher. One of the things that I believe makes me a good teacher is that I come to a subject prepared but not closed minded. When there is a new to me idea or concept presented in a subject I am teaching, I entertain that it might have value rather than dismissing it. Because of this attitude I connect with the majority of my students and am able to translate my knowledge into knowledge for them. They leave my classes both having increased their store of facts, techniques, etc, and having been encouraged to present original or external thought.
As another example, I work with a performance group that does physical stunts and comedy, MountHopeStreetCircus.com. We have several writers, of which I am one, who generate script ideas, incorporate individual talents, design fights, etc. and then demand feedback and input from the rest of the troupe. Not ask, demand. We are all part of the group, it's only fair we all offer our ideas and thoughts especially if the idea or thought is:
"That's not going to work."
Collaboration is what enhances experience and translate knowledge from a single person to a group. Collaboration is what takes a thousand OK ideas and translates them into a great idea. Collaboration is what forces us to connect to other people in a way that breaks us out of isolation.
Critique, the offering and taking of observation and advice, is collaboration.
I remember a conversation i was having with a friend of mine in the way back. For my purposes, "the way back" means 20 years. Each additional way, currently, is an additional 10 years. Regardless, in the way back the conversation went something like this:
Jonathan: "I can't believe the way this job is going"
Rob: "Oh, is it like you are afraid folks will discover you don't know that much?"
Jonathan: "No, it's more like, 'I can't believe people don't know this shit'"
I work in the computer field. In the way back, folks jealously guarded whatever knowledge they had and never admitted if they did not know something. Actually, they still do, depending on their personality. I have always asked a lot of questions and when I did not get an answer I looked it up and then publicised the answer. I approached my job as if it was my goal to identify and create solutions and then turn over the solutions for other people to repeat. I collaborated and was successful and continue to collaborate and continue that success in various aspects of my life.
Which is why I fundamentally do not understand people who will not collaborate either by offering or receiving knowledge.
Art is no different. it does not fall into a special class, neither poetry, nor prose, nor sculpture, nor painting, nor construction of piles of refuse to detail modern society. Art is created as a reaction to our environment and to cut it off from collaboration is to diminish it's power and relevance.
Because, with the decidedly rare exception, ain't none of us smarter than all of us, if we are willing to collaborate.
I do not know how or why but someone will decide this blog entry is a personal attack on them. Please PM me your indignation because the public whining has worn my patience and I promise you only one of us will be overly amused with my response.
As an example, I have consistently received feedback that I am an excellent teacher. One of the things that I believe makes me a good teacher is that I come to a subject prepared but not closed minded. When there is a new to me idea or concept presented in a subject I am teaching, I entertain that it might have value rather than dismissing it. Because of this attitude I connect with the majority of my students and am able to translate my knowledge into knowledge for them. They leave my classes both having increased their store of facts, techniques, etc, and having been encouraged to present original or external thought.
As another example, I work with a performance group that does physical stunts and comedy, MountHopeStreetCircus.com. We have several writers, of which I am one, who generate script ideas, incorporate individual talents, design fights, etc. and then demand feedback and input from the rest of the troupe. Not ask, demand. We are all part of the group, it's only fair we all offer our ideas and thoughts especially if the idea or thought is:
"That's not going to work."
Collaboration is what enhances experience and translate knowledge from a single person to a group. Collaboration is what takes a thousand OK ideas and translates them into a great idea. Collaboration is what forces us to connect to other people in a way that breaks us out of isolation.
Critique, the offering and taking of observation and advice, is collaboration.
I remember a conversation i was having with a friend of mine in the way back. For my purposes, "the way back" means 20 years. Each additional way, currently, is an additional 10 years. Regardless, in the way back the conversation went something like this:
Jonathan: "I can't believe the way this job is going"
Rob: "Oh, is it like you are afraid folks will discover you don't know that much?"
Jonathan: "No, it's more like, 'I can't believe people don't know this shit'"
I work in the computer field. In the way back, folks jealously guarded whatever knowledge they had and never admitted if they did not know something. Actually, they still do, depending on their personality. I have always asked a lot of questions and when I did not get an answer I looked it up and then publicised the answer. I approached my job as if it was my goal to identify and create solutions and then turn over the solutions for other people to repeat. I collaborated and was successful and continue to collaborate and continue that success in various aspects of my life.
Which is why I fundamentally do not understand people who will not collaborate either by offering or receiving knowledge.
Art is no different. it does not fall into a special class, neither poetry, nor prose, nor sculpture, nor painting, nor construction of piles of refuse to detail modern society. Art is created as a reaction to our environment and to cut it off from collaboration is to diminish it's power and relevance.
Because, with the decidedly rare exception, ain't none of us smarter than all of us, if we are willing to collaborate.
I do not know how or why but someone will decide this blog entry is a personal attack on them. Please PM me your indignation because the public whining has worn my patience and I promise you only one of us will be overly amused with my response.