Everyone in my little world of art and creativity publishing is passing around this New York Times article right now about the commodification of creative self-expression. It has many interesting things to say, and the cultural critique it makes is important. However, as is often the case with NYT articles, as I read I found myself a bit perplexed by its somewhat sneering tone--because it seems to be not only the publishers and other commodifiers who are coming in for disdain, but also the regular people who want to be more creative as well--and this in spite of the fact that the writer of the piece acknowledges being such a person herself. If all are painted equally with the same brush (no pun intended) then doesn't that actually water down the critique in favor of the momentary satisfaction of assumed superiority and/or self-loathing?
Image by Jose Ja Ja Ja for the NYT.
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