Amanda Palmer is, really, indescribable. A living statue, actress, writer, singer, musician, yoga enthusiast... the list goes on and on. When asked to describe what kind of band her group, The Dresden Dolls, were she called them "Brechtian punk cabaret" and left it at that. When her record label wanted to cut some shots of her stomach out of a music video because they thought she looked fat, she inspired her fans into what they later termed a "ReBellyon", bombarding the company with e-mails, calls and pictures of their own less than perfect abdomens.
Clearly we are not dealing with just some rock star here. Nor just some writer or popular blogger. Amanda Palmer is a new breed of talent. eGO.com was lucky enough to get a sliver of her time just days before she set off for China and disappeared off the grid. With no further delay:
Ten Questions for Amanda Palmer
1. As a successful artist, singer and cabaret force of nature how do you actualize your dreams?
I simply grapple on an every morning basis with the fact that nothing will manifest perfectly. Then I leave the house at top speed and regret nothing.
2. What are the greatest obstacles you have faced in doing this?
My own expectations. And fear.
3. When creating/songwriting do you just start and let the piece "find" itself or do you plan meticulously to "discover" what you want to do?
It's different for every project. And song. Sometimes I simply let things go wild and pare down afterwards, and sometimes I build bit by bit with anal precision . Usually the former. I'm better at that, I think. And I like doing what I do better.
4. What is your overall goal, as an artist?
I don't have one. Do other people? How terrifying. If you put a gun to my head, I'd probably say that it's no different from my overall goal in life: being present.
5. What is the most courageous thing you've ever done, as an artist or "just" as a person?
Leaving the band and going solo. That was hard. Massive paycuts.
6. How do you decide that something is "finished"?
When there's no possible way I can improve it, even if it's not perfect.
7. LOFNOTC- Explain.
Losers Of Friday Night On Their Computers. It started one Friday on Twitter and I found thousands of other losers out there online. We started a movement. With goals to get the government to issue us vodka, pizza and sweatpants. I love twitter.
8. Please share your favorite bit of wisdom (learned or heard) with us?
My mentor Anthony, taught me this one: honor those who seek the truth, beware of those who've found it.
9. When it comes to knowledge, which do you feel is stronger, learned wisdom or inherent sense?
Inherent sense will tell you to incorporate your learning, so I think that one trumps.
10. What are you working on next?
My next big project is the Evelyn Evelyn record, a concept album by two conjoined twin sisters that I produced with my friend Jason Webley. Cythia Von Buhler is making some wonderful art for the album and also working on a graphic novel to be released after the record. After that? World takeover.
More Info:
Amanda Palmer has released six albums in the the last seven years, five with the Dresden Dolls and one as a solo artist, she has written or co-written three books and has tweeted over Forty-Five hundred times.
Links
http://amandapalmer.net - blog, music and more
http://www.postwartrade.com - find all sorts of Dresden dolls and Amanda Palmer inspired items
http://twitter.com/amandapalmer- join Amanda's over 150,000 followers on Twitter.com.
Showing posts with label Sense. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sense. Show all posts
Friday, October 30, 2009
Friday, October 16, 2009
Listening to Voices
Earlier this week, I posted an article on our blog asking my readers if I should stay up and do more school work or just go to bed. I had been sick all day and knew that I had a lot of work to make up but I was still a little sick and thought that sleep would allow me to function better (It's below, if you feel the need). The mighty Internet failed me; by the time I had gotten even ONE response, forty minutes had passed and I had made up my own mind. This got me wondering about all those decisions we make everyday.
Decisions are a huge part of everyone's life. Sometimes they're just little things like what flavor ice cream to have and sometimes they're huge- like which school to send your kid to. The point is, both of those have the same elements present. You weigh the good and the bad, you think which will be better in the long run, which in the short run and then, at one point, you just go for it. No matter how perfectly you consider your options, there is always an element of gut involved, a piece of you that just has to dive in.
I could quote the fascinating dopamine studies done that show how without an emotional aspect to a decision people are mentally UNABLE to decide but I don't think I have to go that far. If you're honest you know it's true. You can be Mr/Mrs/Ms Reasonable, but at crunch time, there's always a part of you that acts by instinct.
In our Rational and Scientific world this sounds horrifying. Am I saying that we can't just be "Mature" and "Reasonable" and just do what's "Right"? Yes, in a way, I am. The issue here is that decision making is not a purely rational act, it never was and to pretend that it is is just plain dumb. We need our emotions involved in a decision, we need that "Sense" that speaks through our veins and not our brains for two very simple reasons.
Firstly, our emotions are involved in the outcome! We are going to have to live with our decision and all the feelings and thoughts that come from it, we are going to have to feel we made not just the right choice, but a choice that we are happy with. In fact most people define decisions on an emotional basis after the fact, they say, "I'm glad I made that choice." Or "I'm so upset that I picked the wrong one!" If emotions are going to be our measuring rod for the outcome, shouldn't it play a part in the choice?
Secondly, we are all the time processing information. Without knowing it we are taking in data that would make a supercomputer overheat. Our brains, wonderful little things that they are, are able to filter all this and tell us what is important and what is dross. This means that when we ask our brain to weigh an issue there are lots of lost little bits of information that we were never aware of floating in there, information that may help us. Our brain can't suddenly pull up this data, it can't change it's operating procedures like that. It can, however, give us a "Feeling", a sense that something is one way or the other. Many great businessmen and entrepreneurs attribute at least part of their success to listening to that little voice, the one that says, "Go for it."
So whether it's Cherry or Vanilla, Mac or PC, Public School or Private or just Yes or No don't forget that the little feeling your having is not "just emotions" but possibly something much more important- YOU.
Principles: Decision, Sense
Decisions are a huge part of everyone's life. Sometimes they're just little things like what flavor ice cream to have and sometimes they're huge- like which school to send your kid to. The point is, both of those have the same elements present. You weigh the good and the bad, you think which will be better in the long run, which in the short run and then, at one point, you just go for it. No matter how perfectly you consider your options, there is always an element of gut involved, a piece of you that just has to dive in.
I could quote the fascinating dopamine studies done that show how without an emotional aspect to a decision people are mentally UNABLE to decide but I don't think I have to go that far. If you're honest you know it's true. You can be Mr/Mrs/Ms Reasonable, but at crunch time, there's always a part of you that acts by instinct.
In our Rational and Scientific world this sounds horrifying. Am I saying that we can't just be "Mature" and "Reasonable" and just do what's "Right"? Yes, in a way, I am. The issue here is that decision making is not a purely rational act, it never was and to pretend that it is is just plain dumb. We need our emotions involved in a decision, we need that "Sense" that speaks through our veins and not our brains for two very simple reasons.
Firstly, our emotions are involved in the outcome! We are going to have to live with our decision and all the feelings and thoughts that come from it, we are going to have to feel we made not just the right choice, but a choice that we are happy with. In fact most people define decisions on an emotional basis after the fact, they say, "I'm glad I made that choice." Or "I'm so upset that I picked the wrong one!" If emotions are going to be our measuring rod for the outcome, shouldn't it play a part in the choice?
Secondly, we are all the time processing information. Without knowing it we are taking in data that would make a supercomputer overheat. Our brains, wonderful little things that they are, are able to filter all this and tell us what is important and what is dross. This means that when we ask our brain to weigh an issue there are lots of lost little bits of information that we were never aware of floating in there, information that may help us. Our brain can't suddenly pull up this data, it can't change it's operating procedures like that. It can, however, give us a "Feeling", a sense that something is one way or the other. Many great businessmen and entrepreneurs attribute at least part of their success to listening to that little voice, the one that says, "Go for it."
So whether it's Cherry or Vanilla, Mac or PC, Public School or Private or just Yes or No don't forget that the little feeling your having is not "just emotions" but possibly something much more important- YOU.
Principles: Decision, Sense
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Healthcare Shmealthcare
Before the article- a plea- if you enjoy these articles there are more at http://eGO.com.
the short ones I do here are not posted there, and some of the longer ones I post there are not here, or only get put up here at a later date, so please, check out eGO.com and bookmark it!
Now, on to the article:
The media wants you to believe that America is divided by this MAJOR IDEOLOGY ENDING issue. The fact of the matter is that if you ask the average American about this oh-so important topic they will most probably give your their opinion on whether it is "good" or "bad", "right" or "wrong" and "necessary" or "evil" but ask them to detail the plan, to explain why they have chosen this side of the issue and all you will probably get is, "oh, I'm a..." and they will say either Republican or Democrat.
This is the issue I would like to discuss here, this line-in-the-sand political enmity.
Growing up in The Bronx it was sort of a given that I would be a Yankees fan. I went to games in The House Ruth Built and any sport T-shirts I owned were either pinstripe or navy blue. Being a Yankee fan had, inherent in it, love of the Franchise and hatred of the Boston Red Soxs (if you don't know, it's not worth explaining, just go with it). Now, New York had another Baseball team, still does, called The Mets. As a Yankee fan you just didn't care about The Mets. You barely thought of them, except maybe to feel pity, or at worst- scorn, for their fans. Mets fans and Yankee fans were friends and could joke about each others teams, players or policies.
Sometime when I was in High School that changed. Yankee fans became derisive towards Met fans, caustic. Sometimes even downright mean. Suddenly, the other team was Evil, was "the enemy".
This is the issue with the healthcare plan and U.S. Politics in general. About twenty years ago bipartisanship became a dirty word, something only done in dire need and with much wailing and gnashing of teeth. You can blame Bill Clinton or Newt Gingrich but that doesn't change the fact that the days of the gentleman politician is gone. No longer were important votes decided by policy or acumen, but by an "us or them" mentality that has finally reached a horrific crescendo during this current healthcare debate.
The President has provided plans that, at times, almost mirror those of his Republican opponent for office, John McCain. He has made concessions that solve, at least partially, a majority of "Republican" problems with the plan, but to no avail. He is one of "them" and WE do not do business with THEM.
Cries of socialism are bandied about by the same people who vote to spend more money on the public school system- a system that guarantees free education to all, a system that is the very definition of a socialist ideal.
Please don't think this is another "Left-wing Liberal" rant, the Democrats are just as bad, storming and thundering about the evil, unjust Conservatives that are undermining our government.
It is not one party or another that is destroying our country, it is not crazed Liberals or fascist Conservatives. It is the very issue of using those labels and brandishing those fright-masks. Riling up the public one way or the other without educating them as to why one group feels the way they do.
I could make a list of all the countries that have good, working, reasonable Nationalized Medicine and I could equally make a list of the numbers of people in those countries dying from lack of treatment. Both of those list would be beside the point. What matters is that if we, as a country, keep dividing ourselves into black hats and white hats, heroes and villains, nothing is going to get done. Not healthcare, not the deficit, NOTHING.
It's time we as a people stop letting ourselves be led by fear-mongers and rabble-rousers, stop picking one side and sticking with it, stop spouting one-liners and Sound-bites to defend our "beliefs".
It is time we educate ourselves, since those in power clearly have other things planned. It is time we start thinking about what we need, as a country, as a civilization- not as individuals. Lastly, it is time we put in to power people who are going to help us do this, rather than just play on our emotions and hot buttons.
Principle: Sense
the short ones I do here are not posted there, and some of the longer ones I post there are not here, or only get put up here at a later date, so please, check out eGO.com and bookmark it!
Now, on to the article:
The media wants you to believe that America is divided by this MAJOR IDEOLOGY ENDING issue. The fact of the matter is that if you ask the average American about this oh-so important topic they will most probably give your their opinion on whether it is "good" or "bad", "right" or "wrong" and "necessary" or "evil" but ask them to detail the plan, to explain why they have chosen this side of the issue and all you will probably get is, "oh, I'm a..." and they will say either Republican or Democrat.
This is the issue I would like to discuss here, this line-in-the-sand political enmity.
Growing up in The Bronx it was sort of a given that I would be a Yankees fan. I went to games in The House Ruth Built and any sport T-shirts I owned were either pinstripe or navy blue. Being a Yankee fan had, inherent in it, love of the Franchise and hatred of the Boston Red Soxs (if you don't know, it's not worth explaining, just go with it). Now, New York had another Baseball team, still does, called The Mets. As a Yankee fan you just didn't care about The Mets. You barely thought of them, except maybe to feel pity, or at worst- scorn, for their fans. Mets fans and Yankee fans were friends and could joke about each others teams, players or policies.
Sometime when I was in High School that changed. Yankee fans became derisive towards Met fans, caustic. Sometimes even downright mean. Suddenly, the other team was Evil, was "the enemy".
This is the issue with the healthcare plan and U.S. Politics in general. About twenty years ago bipartisanship became a dirty word, something only done in dire need and with much wailing and gnashing of teeth. You can blame Bill Clinton or Newt Gingrich but that doesn't change the fact that the days of the gentleman politician is gone. No longer were important votes decided by policy or acumen, but by an "us or them" mentality that has finally reached a horrific crescendo during this current healthcare debate.
The President has provided plans that, at times, almost mirror those of his Republican opponent for office, John McCain. He has made concessions that solve, at least partially, a majority of "Republican" problems with the plan, but to no avail. He is one of "them" and WE do not do business with THEM.
Cries of socialism are bandied about by the same people who vote to spend more money on the public school system- a system that guarantees free education to all, a system that is the very definition of a socialist ideal.
Please don't think this is another "Left-wing Liberal" rant, the Democrats are just as bad, storming and thundering about the evil, unjust Conservatives that are undermining our government.
It is not one party or another that is destroying our country, it is not crazed Liberals or fascist Conservatives. It is the very issue of using those labels and brandishing those fright-masks. Riling up the public one way or the other without educating them as to why one group feels the way they do.
I could make a list of all the countries that have good, working, reasonable Nationalized Medicine and I could equally make a list of the numbers of people in those countries dying from lack of treatment. Both of those list would be beside the point. What matters is that if we, as a country, keep dividing ourselves into black hats and white hats, heroes and villains, nothing is going to get done. Not healthcare, not the deficit, NOTHING.
It's time we as a people stop letting ourselves be led by fear-mongers and rabble-rousers, stop picking one side and sticking with it, stop spouting one-liners and Sound-bites to defend our "beliefs".
It is time we educate ourselves, since those in power clearly have other things planned. It is time we start thinking about what we need, as a country, as a civilization- not as individuals. Lastly, it is time we put in to power people who are going to help us do this, rather than just play on our emotions and hot buttons.
Principle: Sense
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