My art buddies all seem to be talking about politics right now and that is poison to my mental health. So I am trying to figure out which art buddies I can still hang out with and which ones I can’t. It’s sad. I even agree with most of them on most issues but I can’t be filling my mind with the fear and worry and anger and mental violence. I need to be filling my mind with hope and joy and beauty so I can send more of those things out into the world in my art.
I am glad you brought this up. It's something I think we are all facing now.
It's hard in these times to control access to information we would prefer not to consume!
I can suggest some things you may try, and also share what I am doing.
First, there's an undeniable pull toward knowing what is going on. To some degree, this is necessary. It's also human to connect around things that affect us all.
I have found that the conversation around the events of the world seems to:
stoke our ire and outrage
churn the same stuff
make us feel worse and even more helpless
rarely leads to any positive change.
I noticed this last year when my book group was churning the news. I noticed that I liked being informed so I could contribute facts and opinion. I like knowing things. I like seeming smart and educated.
But after I left, I thought, WTF was that about? What changed as a result of the churning? I wasn't inspired or informed to take any new action. It just validated my outrage.
So now, before any conversation about what is going on, I tell my friend I will only talk about this if we each commit to taking a new action as a result of it.
I don't want to be part of the churn. Honestly, this was one of the major reasons I did not attend my book group right after the election - I did not want to get sucked into that conversation.
In order to maintain your sanity AND your relationships, I wonder if you can redesign your relationships with your art buddies. I don't know if this is a group you are in or one:one conversations.
In either case, do you feel comfortable making requests?
>> Let them know what you shared here about your current mental health practices. >>Let them know how much you cherish your time together as fellow artists.
>>Let them know in clear terms what you can and cannot talk about.
>>Let them know that you have a plan and are taking action in the political arena, but that is not happening here. (I do this with people in front of the grocery store, soliciting money for their causes. I tell them I have a giving plan and I can't randomly add more.)
Part of our work now is to be able to continue with our work. To not get sucked into the distraction machine, but instead to keep being a force of good through our creative work and the energy we bring to the world.
I suspect others would be relieved that someone spoke up to lead the way and direct your conversations and keep your focus on your art.
Don't let the forces of evil rob you of the very relationships and connections that sustain you.
Let me know your thoughts about this. Good luck, Donna - and everyone!
Oh thanks for this thoughtful reply, Cynthia! This is wonderful stuff to think about.
I do have a couple of art buddies and friends I talk about issues with, because we have deep, serious discussions about topics and try to figure out things we can do, or at least try to really understand something that is complex.
I get really frustrated by people who assume because I vote D that I agree with them on every issue. I also get frustrated by people who merely repeat slogans and soundbites and memes with no depth and not explaining what they mean in their own words. I have little patience for that, stemming from the years in my youth I spent in fundamentalist Christian churches. I find that comics artists do this a lot, using progressive memes rather than Bible versus, drawing pictures of shallow sayings without adding any complexity or thoughtfulness to the topic. They feel like they're "resisting" but I think they're just soothing their own anxiety, which is OK if it helps them, but it does not help me reading these things.
I have also started attending knitting group at the library, and many of the knitters also work in other art forms. It's so soothing to actually sit in a room with human beings and talk about local things! I haven't done that in quite some time, especially not since COVID.
Thanks especially for the suggestions on the last parts of your comment. I am going to try to bring some of these things up in my comics group. I have to think of a way to do it that isn't putting down what others are doing, but maybe asking or suggesting a way for us to move forward with our work rather than, as you say, get caught up in the distraction machine. Jumping onto trends and creating fast work seems like it's doing something but I think for the most part it is keeping us (or me, anyway) from going deeper and spending time to really develop the work.
My art buddies all seem to be talking about politics right now and that is poison to my mental health. So I am trying to figure out which art buddies I can still hang out with and which ones I can’t. It’s sad. I even agree with most of them on most issues but I can’t be filling my mind with the fear and worry and anger and mental violence. I need to be filling my mind with hope and joy and beauty so I can send more of those things out into the world in my art.
Donna,
I am glad you brought this up. It's something I think we are all facing now.
It's hard in these times to control access to information we would prefer not to consume!
I can suggest some things you may try, and also share what I am doing.
First, there's an undeniable pull toward knowing what is going on. To some degree, this is necessary. It's also human to connect around things that affect us all.
I have found that the conversation around the events of the world seems to:
stoke our ire and outrage
churn the same stuff
make us feel worse and even more helpless
rarely leads to any positive change.
I noticed this last year when my book group was churning the news. I noticed that I liked being informed so I could contribute facts and opinion. I like knowing things. I like seeming smart and educated.
But after I left, I thought, WTF was that about? What changed as a result of the churning? I wasn't inspired or informed to take any new action. It just validated my outrage.
So now, before any conversation about what is going on, I tell my friend I will only talk about this if we each commit to taking a new action as a result of it.
I don't want to be part of the churn. Honestly, this was one of the major reasons I did not attend my book group right after the election - I did not want to get sucked into that conversation.
In order to maintain your sanity AND your relationships, I wonder if you can redesign your relationships with your art buddies. I don't know if this is a group you are in or one:one conversations.
In either case, do you feel comfortable making requests?
>> Let them know what you shared here about your current mental health practices. >>Let them know how much you cherish your time together as fellow artists.
>>Let them know in clear terms what you can and cannot talk about.
>>Let them know that you have a plan and are taking action in the political arena, but that is not happening here. (I do this with people in front of the grocery store, soliciting money for their causes. I tell them I have a giving plan and I can't randomly add more.)
Part of our work now is to be able to continue with our work. To not get sucked into the distraction machine, but instead to keep being a force of good through our creative work and the energy we bring to the world.
I suspect others would be relieved that someone spoke up to lead the way and direct your conversations and keep your focus on your art.
Don't let the forces of evil rob you of the very relationships and connections that sustain you.
Let me know your thoughts about this. Good luck, Donna - and everyone!
Oh thanks for this thoughtful reply, Cynthia! This is wonderful stuff to think about.
I do have a couple of art buddies and friends I talk about issues with, because we have deep, serious discussions about topics and try to figure out things we can do, or at least try to really understand something that is complex.
I get really frustrated by people who assume because I vote D that I agree with them on every issue. I also get frustrated by people who merely repeat slogans and soundbites and memes with no depth and not explaining what they mean in their own words. I have little patience for that, stemming from the years in my youth I spent in fundamentalist Christian churches. I find that comics artists do this a lot, using progressive memes rather than Bible versus, drawing pictures of shallow sayings without adding any complexity or thoughtfulness to the topic. They feel like they're "resisting" but I think they're just soothing their own anxiety, which is OK if it helps them, but it does not help me reading these things.
I have also started attending knitting group at the library, and many of the knitters also work in other art forms. It's so soothing to actually sit in a room with human beings and talk about local things! I haven't done that in quite some time, especially not since COVID.
Thanks especially for the suggestions on the last parts of your comment. I am going to try to bring some of these things up in my comics group. I have to think of a way to do it that isn't putting down what others are doing, but maybe asking or suggesting a way for us to move forward with our work rather than, as you say, get caught up in the distraction machine. Jumping onto trends and creating fast work seems like it's doing something but I think for the most part it is keeping us (or me, anyway) from going deeper and spending time to really develop the work.