Lately several friends of mine have been giving me their opinion on this blog. They said they noticed certain contradictions within my many posts. They feel that the esthetics I put foward don’t quite reflect the values and ideas that I express. It made me think. It made me question myself, and that’s always a good thing.
I realized that there is a difference between what you like, and what you approve of. People often think that if they don’t condone this or that, then it’s necessarly crap. That isn’t so. I’m sure anyone of us can name a film or a song they love that unfortunately doesn’t suit our values or ideals. I love adidas shoes, but I don’t like the human and ecological exploitation that is used in producing those shoes. Then you could say, yes you can like, but don’t put it foward. On the other hand, as I’ve posted before, I don’t think that esthetic particularism and alternativity has any value in its self, other than that of being particular and alternative. I search for alternative or unique things for their quality and the ethics of their production. Hipsters are the perfect example of mindless particularism. Searching different esthetics to me makes sense if the mainstream esthetics transmit and perpetuate structures and values that I do not approve of.
Coming back to my blog. This is not an issue I’ve resolved yet. Should I not post regular mainstream esthetics? should consider my ideas before my taste? Should I try to change my taste to match my ideals? Should I only post images that reflect my values accurately?
First I’d like to write out some of my criteria in choosing what I post and not.
1. I never post a picture I don’t like esthetically
2. I don’t intend to present an accurate sampling of all shapes, sizes, colors, and styles.
3. I never post any images that blatantly portay acts I do not condone.
4. I try as much as I can to avoid images from productions that are known to exploit and not respect performers and models.
5. I avoid images that are too cliché and “perfect” esthetically, I believe in challenging beauty norms, loving and accepting everyday normal bodies and acts. (I probably have some work to do in that area…)
In the end, I think that what isn’t clear about my blog, is that it isn’t supposed to reflect some straight line of what anarcho-syndicalism and neo-feminism are about. Above all, this blog is about me, my taste, my ideas, my relfexions, my doubts, my feelings. In that light, it is bound to be contradictory on many levels, and not all issues nor all esthetic forms will be represented. I believe in being honest about who I am, eventhough I may wish to change and evolve.
Keep questionning, keep living, keep growing!
