I know thatit’s not easy to create music, a piece of art or to write a book, which isprobably why most people don’t do it.
I enjoy many genres of music, many artforms and enjoy reading books and features covering a multitude of topics – some fiction, some stories of peoples’ lives and in particular, I find ideas interesting to delve into, even those that I end up not particularly agreeing with, or not agreeing with at all.
Whether you do or you don’t agree, the experience is healthy for the mind. I don’t think it’s good to only read about topics you know you already agree with. Does, for example, reading about the life of a brutal dictator mean that you agree with his or her philosophy, and then go out into the world promoting it? Of course it doesn’t in the vast majority of cases.
I don’t want to be or see myself as a critic, so in writing about music, art or other writings that I’ve enjoyed or come into contact with, I simply want to say a few things about what I may have found exciting, interesting, and inspiring about them, and how they might have overlapped with my own experiences, and also, what might I might have found disagreeable. No over-analysis, no slating or hatchet jobs…
Also, for those prone to making snap,uninformed judgements about someone’s politics and values, and then shouting loudly about them on social media platforms and elsewhere (but without taking any time to apply understanding and nuance to their “accusations”) please let me be clear, I have no affiliations with any political party and consider myself to be broadly ”centrist” in my views, but with a passion that governments of all political persuasions(as well as conservation bodies) must up their game in terms of ecosystem conservation, protection of biodiversity and habitat restoration whilst at the same time (crucially) maintaining societal stability. Remember neither the left, the right or the centre “own conservation” and all have poor records of delivering it. Successful deliverance of conservation can, I think, only be achieved by securing a broad consensus across political divides.
Also,as a final example, simply because I’ve read a certain book, listened to a particular album, or enjoyed certain artworks (that I may have written about here), doesn’tmake me an endorsee of the opinions that particular writer, musician or artist may have expressed in that work, ormay have expressed in other work that they have produced or later produced, or other opinions and behaviours they may have expressed or exhibited elsewhere (outside of their body of work). Let me be clear about that.
With that said, do have a read…
