Peter Garrett Online Forum

Naomi

In almost every point we actually agree, it is only in the nuances we vary, but on the issue of science I am not making myself understood. Science is not unimportant, nor is it undesirable. It is, however, not a common activity and of all the things we do as humans, it is the one we will lose with the least schock to our system.

Technology is not science. Science is a discipline of thinking. It is important, useful, desirable, interesting, wonderful and exciting - but it is not essential. Justice is essential, love is essential, art, parenting, religion, architecture and agriculture are all essential, but science (as a pure discipline) is not. That is not to denigrate science. It is to acknowledge its actual role in the world.

I don't think that art can only come from hardship - I think that the funding from art should primarily come from the business of art. That is, from selling the product. Entrepreneurship, in short. I know that patronage is important and I applaud those private companies and individuals that give it, but I utterly derogate Government contributions.

And yes, I do have a better system up my sleeve: either produce work that your customers want to buy, or pay for it yourself.

Not far from where I live there is a little Community Theatre that gets no funding, is not part of this site (does not even know that such a thing exists), and that pioneers local work as well as producing popular genre work. They are loved by their community. They survive because they do their job right. I dare La Mama to do the same.

Finally - the arts does not need more money. The arts need people.    

Finally, finally - resale royalties have always seemed sane and good to me, but I am beginning to have second thoughts. As they are not yet sensible or coherent thoughts, I haven't raised them, but you deserve a response and so, yes, I am happy to join with you in applauding the Government's legislative success. But then, Governments are supposed to make law. They are not supposed to fund art. 

Finally, finally, finally - are we getting silly now? I keep feeling the heavy eyes of all the other members glowering at us from behind our backs. I know that I am in a minority position - but in my defence I can assure all the good taxpayers out there that I have never spent any of your taxes on any of my work. And I made my living not doing it.

Pax?   

Noël Christian

homestead:Theatre of Words

http://www.facebook.com/pages/homestead-Theatre-of-Words/195922452014?ref=ts

http://www.myspace.com/homesteadtheatre

http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.ListA