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Art as an Operating System

This thought was inspired by lyrics of the song "Loving Someone" by The 1975.

There's this part near the end where Matt Healy starts rambling incoherently. For however many times I've listened to that song, I'd never been able to decipher anything other than something about boys on bikes in jumpers. Recently, I Googled the lyrics. Here's what he says:

"I am forever in alongside the boys in jumpers
On bikes from schools and cars
With autumn leaves fallen sparse across the mid-afternoon

She blazed about how cultural language is an operating system
A simple interface rendered feeble and listless
When tested with a divinity or a true understanding of the human condition

I never did understand the duality of art and reality
Living life and treating it as such but with a certain disconnect
To touch that cajoles at the artist with comfort and abandon

And between the spires and rolling roofs of the white city
That orange, English light cast only one, singular shadow
For you are not beside but within me."

Needless to say, this was quite the prompt. And I admired the language and themes, and found it insightful in relation to my work — and moreso, my subjective reality. So this is a sort of response or breakdown of Healy's insight.
Topic
Reflection
Written on
December 21, 2023
Course

Our cultural dialogues act as the operating system of our society, a framework through which we interpret and engage with the world. However, this system, as complex as it may seem, becomes inadequate and lifeless when confronted with the profound or the deeply human elements of existence, highlighting a gap between our modes of communication and the richness of our experiences.

The interplay between art and reality is a puzzle. We live fully yet there is a distinct separation from the essence of life - a widespread challenge to merge the mundane aspects of our existence with the abstract and often elusive sphere of art and creativity.

It's that allure of art that draws us into a space where we can let go, where artists find solace and freedom to express themselves without restraint. Here, art is both a refuge and a playground for the imagination, offering a counterpoint to the structured realities of daily life.

And I observe the world in which I'm enveloped as I drive home, past Alexander, at sunset. The sky's alarming beauty unfurls in hues of orange and purple as the sun dips behind the weathered township. This moment, to me, illustrates how personal narratives unfold within a collective backdrop. It underscores that amidst life's hustle and the tangible structures around us, there lies an individual journey at the core.

The essence of our connections transcends mere physical presence; it's about the profound integration of our experiences, thoughts, and spirits. This realization reshapes the notion of proximity. Our relationships and interactions are not just external engagements but are woven into the fabric of our identity, influencing our worldview and essence.

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