I recently had a conversation with a student concerning one’s motivation to pursue artistic exploration. Unfortunately, most are motivated by the hope of achieving a particular result — getting a grade, pleasing a client, gaining notoriety, getting paid, etc. However, the best makers, those that sustain the activity over a lifetime and add knowledge to the endeavor, making are largely motivated by the exhilaration of discovery. They are driven by an earnest curiosity and sense of wonder. I have been teaching for more than 25 years and upon reflection believe I have witnessed a slow deterioration in the amount of wonder my students and colleagues exhibit.
This observation caused me to ponder why this is the case. What idea or mindset would result in the loss of wonder? The answer to this question has many complicated and individual explanations; however, I would offer up a few general observations.
Many scholars have pointed out contradictions and serious challenges facing our current modern mindset. Relativism — our disbelief in absolute truth — certainly diminishes the value of discovery and its ability to help us navigate a complex, ever-changing world. Historically, absolutes offered a stable rock on which to build our lives and assess our actions amidst the storm of change and uncertainty. In addition, the way moderns formulate their identity leave them fragile and vulnerable in a world that isn’t required to accept them on their terms.
Discarding the notion of an all-powerful, all-knowing universal entity and suggesting we have essentially become our own gods has contributed to the crippling of our imagination and sense of wonder.
Belief in an entity that far exceeds our own ability, thoughts and ways, opens our imagination to what lies beyond our understanding — to wonder about the things we have yet to discover. When we put ourselves at the center of everything, we limit the potential outcome to our personal experiences, thoughts and understandings. It is only when we acknowledge there is something beyond our grasp, a reality beyond our reason, that we become excited and motivated to explore and discover. It is as if the modern maker is wandering in the wilderness of their own making.
David, I read these regularly, but comment only sporadically. For some reason, I really appreciated this one. Thanks!