A few years ago, I wanted to get into a hobby which challenged me to be more creative, then, one Christmas, my wife gave me a camera. I really got into it and watched some Youtube videos and bought a course. I learned the basic math behind the exposure triangle (yes, that is a thing). I loved it. I quickly learned how understanding the impartial math help me realize my creative dream. In fact, I grew to love it so much I didn’t (and still don’t) care if I am the best. The enjoyment of the hobby is all I need.
However, I then thought that photography is for me, but what kind of photographer? After some reflection, I decided on travel photography (this was before the pandemic and there is more to how I will achieve that). Then came the cancel culture. This as an aspiring travel photographer seems like the most toxic thing possible. Traditionally, the Left tells us “travel and see the world. Experience other cultures because yours is not the only valid one!!!” True. So, very true! If I’m not careful, I might learn something. However, what is the point of traveling to see other cultures if the uniqueness has been sanitized and everything the Left doesn’t like has been cancelled out?
Then came Black Lives Matter (organization) and their criticisms. Their criticisms are bogus or even dangerous. When the response <<all lives matter>> came out, it really resonated with me. All lives DO matter. What confuses me is why the phrase <<all lives matter>> is seen as toxic. When this debate came out, I quickly asked myself >>WHY<< do black lives matter? My immediate response to this was simple, and to me, self evident. Their lives matter because they have an ethical sense of right and wrong. They use this ethical sense to reflect on yesterday, ponder today, and dream about tomorrow. However, all ethnicities and therefore all cultures do this. This why ALL lives matter. This debate between <<black lives matter>> and <<all lives matter>> is a red herring. It is meant to divide us rather than unify the Nation around dealing with bigotry in favor of dignity.
Some people claim that no lives matter until black lives matter. There is a great danger in this. Are Native American’s ability to reflect on yesterday dependent on Blacks’ being validated? NO! They shouldn’t wait until such validation. Are Asians’ ability to dream about tomorrow dependent on Blacks being validated? NO! They shouldn’t wait until such validation. Do Black’s ability to make moral choices depend on any one else? NO! They shouldn’t wait for such validation. They shouldn't wait because that is not where their dignity comes from. Human dignity is transcendent of any ethnicity or law. It goes to the very heart of what it means to be human.
<<All lives matter>> is not a racist denial of the trials an tribulations of any one ethnicity. It is meant to bring context to then discuss why the lives of all ethnicities matter. It is to say that we are all <<in the same boat.>> We are all in the same boat of seeking dignity. It is the sad state of affairs today that we see each other as different needing to be fixed. If we explored people’s similarities we could then build upon that knowledge with greater dignity and respect for all.
This is the purpose of art. The individual can choose how and when to use art. for reflection, pondering, or dreaming. Cancel culture denies others the ability to make this decision. There is no equality of opportunity here. I would even theorize that cancel culture is about individuals wanting to avoid doing this. It is strange how the argument against art (supporting cancel culture) is it creates <<an unsafe environment.>> Unsafe in what way? Are life and limb being threatened? Are people denied the ability to retreat to a safe place? In one way, this is actually the purpose of art. Either to challenge our beliefs or help us aspire to something better.
It is strange how people see statues of bygone eras as threatening and dangerous while people have been killed over the phrase “all lives matter.”
Then came Black Lives Matter (organization) and their criticisms. Their criticisms are bogus or even dangerous. When the response <<all lives matter>> came out, it really resonated with me. All lives DO matter. What confuses me is why the phrase <<all lives matter>> is seen as toxic. When this debate came out, I quickly asked myself >>WHY<< do black lives matter? My immediate response to this was simple, and to me, self evident. Their lives matter because they have an ethical sense of right and wrong. They use this ethical sense to reflect on yesterday, ponder today, and dream about tomorrow. However, all ethnicities and therefore all cultures do this. This why ALL lives matter. This debate between <<black lives matter>> and <<all lives matter>> is a red herring. It is meant to divide us rather than unify the Nation around dealing with bigotry in favor of dignity.
Some people claim that no lives matter until black lives matter. There is a great danger in this. Are Native American’s ability to reflect on yesterday dependent on Blacks’ being validated? NO! They shouldn’t wait until such validation. Are Asians’ ability to dream about tomorrow dependent on Blacks being validated? NO! They shouldn’t wait until such validation. Do Black’s ability to make moral choices depend on any one else? NO! They shouldn’t wait for such validation. They shouldn't wait because that is not where their dignity comes from. Human dignity is transcendent of any ethnicity or law. It goes to the very heart of what it means to be human.
<<All lives matter>> is not a racist denial of the trials an tribulations of any one ethnicity. It is meant to bring context to then discuss why the lives of all ethnicities matter. It is to say that we are all <<in the same boat.>> We are all in the same boat of seeking dignity. It is the sad state of affairs today that we see each other as different needing to be fixed. If we explored people’s similarities we could then build upon that knowledge with greater dignity and respect for all.
This is the purpose of art. The individual can choose how and when to use art. for reflection, pondering, or dreaming. Cancel culture denies others the ability to make this decision. There is no equality of opportunity here. I would even theorize that cancel culture is about individuals wanting to avoid doing this. It is strange how the argument against art (supporting cancel culture) is it creates <<an unsafe environment.>> Unsafe in what way? Are life and limb being threatened? Are people denied the ability to retreat to a safe place? In one way, this is actually the purpose of art. Either to challenge our beliefs or help us aspire to something better.
Then, what is the way forward? We must agree to nonaggression. Indiscriminate violence never solved anything. We must first seek to understand our similarities. When we appreciate that we are actually have more similarities than differences, we can appreciate others for who they really are. The healing of wrongs is not dwelling in the past but building the future.
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