WEDNESDAY THOUGHTS: DECISION MAKERS

WHY is someone who doesn’t celebrate art or artists EVER tasked to spearhead an artists’ celebration? 

It all goes back to the motives, awareness, and respectfulness—or carelessness and cluelessness of decision makers. 

Artists are often subjected to condescending individuals, who have decided that the maintenance of humility is their job. 

These often insecure, frustrated souls labor under the misapprehension that artists are unintelligent, one-dimensional, self-absorbed, desperate, pampered, and naive; incapable of cogent thought, or speech, and unable to decide what’s best for themselves. Because of this, they think artists are to be controlled, berated, corralled, put upon, tested, manipulated, silenced, threatened, or intimidated. 

Even if an artist HAS a platform, it’s not his or hers to use without being told what, or what not to say, do, or be (by someone who couldn’t replicate what the artist has accomplished if their lives depended on it. 

Sidebar: Pay attention to those people who insist you NEED them, and push what’s important to them, but detrimental to you, i.e., it’s nice that the smoke machine works, but for a singer, the sound man is the main man, and the microphone is the principal thing. How about we invest in getting THAT right? But I digress...)

Unless you’ve been camping under a rock, you can google people you’re considering hiring, inviting, including, or suggesting for a job or event. 

If you know them, or have experience with them, you have an idea of their shtick, attitude, temperament, beliefs, strengths, competence, habits, etc. You know if they’re cooperative, kind, principled, skilled, gracious or pleasant. 

You also know if they have built their reputation or brand on being shady, rude, bourgeoisie, mean, arrogant, antagonistic, selfish, profane, disrespectful, offensive, demanding, pushy, or negative. 

You know if the fit will be good or disastrous— if you care. 

The shock and disappointment over behavior, or a performance, when someone has been consistent and true to what, and who they’ve ALWAYS been, is laughable. 

You know what you’re going to get when you enlist the services of some people. When they show out, you’re ready to label them “difficult”, “inappropriate”, “embarrassing”, or “controversial”. 

Why pretend to complain or be appalled when they’re merely meeting or exceeding your expectations? 

Don’t invite drama, bullying, or controversy, and there won’t BE any— or is that, too often, the plan?

It all comes down to the decision makers. Who’s in charge? Who has the final say?