Comments on: Will the crowd crush creativity? http://blog.larkin.net.au/2008/10/05/will-the-crowd-crush-creativity/ Thoughts on teaching, technology, learning and life in an era of change. Thu, 11 Mar 2010 20:26:47 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: John Larkin http://blog.larkin.net.au/2008/10/05/will-the-crowd-crush-creativity/comment-page-1/#comment-738 John Larkin Tue, 07 Oct 2008 11:44:32 +0000 http://blog.larkin.net.au/?p=771#comment-738 Thank you for the kind comment and Paul, you make an excellent point about cherished artists. I immediately thought of Lou Reed, Iggy Pop and others of that late 60s and early 70s era that were very much out of sync with mainstream rock and roll yet they survived. In fact they went on to inspire several generations of musicians including the punks of the mid 1970s and the grunge bands of the nineties. Despite all that they still stand out. Living legends. There are some foils out there in the education ether... Clay Burell and Gary Stager spring to mind. Thank goodness. I would love to speak my mind at times but I am hesitant. WOuld people stop reading my little blog or would I actually generate more readers. I am a member of a listserv where one can speak their mind. I only post occasionally but I manage to generate a lot of feedback when I do. I tend to use colourful metaphors when I vent my spleen. I speak my mind more with comments on other blogs. For some reason I feel more 'free' with my comments. Thank you for the kind comment and Paul, you make an excellent point about cherished artists. I immediately thought of Lou Reed, Iggy Pop and others of that late 60s and early 70s era that were very much out of sync with mainstream rock and roll yet they survived. In fact they went on to inspire several generations of musicians including the punks of the mid 1970s and the grunge bands of the nineties. Despite all that they still stand out. Living legends.

There are some foils out there in the education ether… Clay Burell and Gary Stager spring to mind. Thank goodness.

I would love to speak my mind at times but I am hesitant. WOuld people stop reading my little blog or would I actually generate more readers. I am a member of a listserv where one can speak their mind. I only post occasionally but I manage to generate a lot of feedback when I do. I tend to use colourful metaphors when I vent my spleen.

I speak my mind more with comments on other blogs. For some reason I feel more ‘free’ with my comments.

]]> By: Paul Stewart http://blog.larkin.net.au/2008/10/05/will-the-crowd-crush-creativity/comment-page-1/#comment-724 Paul Stewart Mon, 06 Oct 2008 22:20:57 +0000 http://blog.larkin.net.au/?p=771#comment-724 Terrific post John. I have been wondering the same thing. The internet (esp. Web.Too) does allow like-minded people to find each other quickly and to give support to one another which is wonderful. The sense of community I can see in some people tweets is enviable. But occasionally we also need people to act as a foil for our points of view. We need critical friends. Perhaps this happens on Twitter - I'm not sure; I've tallied only 100 or so Twitter updates so I am relatively new to the experience. I guess it's also notable that a number of our most cherished artists were out of kilter with the popular thinking of the time and yet they continued to walk down the roads they did. Perhaps people who are really devoted to their art are impervious to the collective consciousness of the society surrounding them. Their art can evolve using new tools and technologies without requiring the approval or endorsement of the networks that also gravitate to such tools. Social networks can be a great way of getting the message out, but they don't have to play a part in the creation of art. Individualism in certain contexts is a healthy thing. Perhaps the real question is: can one be truly collaborative and remain true to a singular artistic vision? I don't know but you've made me think which has to be the hallmark of an excellent blog post. Terrific post John. I have been wondering the same thing. The internet (esp. Web.Too) does allow like-minded people to find each other quickly and to give support to one another which is wonderful. The sense of community I can see in some people tweets is enviable. But occasionally we also need people to act as a foil for our points of view. We need critical friends. Perhaps this happens on Twitter – I’m not sure; I’ve tallied only 100 or so Twitter updates so I am relatively new to the experience.

I guess it’s also notable that a number of our most cherished artists were out of kilter with the popular thinking of the time and yet they continued to walk down the roads they did. Perhaps people who are really devoted to their art are impervious to the collective consciousness of the society surrounding them. Their art can evolve using new tools and technologies without requiring the approval or endorsement of the networks that also gravitate to such tools. Social networks can be a great way of getting the message out, but they don’t have to play a part in the creation of art. Individualism in certain contexts is a healthy thing.

Perhaps the real question is: can one be truly collaborative and remain true to a singular artistic vision? I don’t know but you’ve made me think which has to be the hallmark of an excellent blog post.

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