Chapter 3
“An ideal of power not used to privilege oneself, as it often is, but as a gift for helping others, caring for and sharing with those on the bottom of society.”
This emphasizes being able to utilize your privilege for good. I think about this often when I'm walking and I pass by someone who is homeless or is looking for money. Even if you don't know what they'd be using the money for or if you don't have much on you, it's important to give back because you never know how much you'd be contributing to someone's day.
"We never start at zero, and it's a mistake to think we create something from nothing. We are always drawing from repositories of words, images, and meanings that already exist"
This quote reminds me about the music we hear nowadays. So many songs are inspired by music from the past and people are always taking samples from old songs and recreating it into something new. To some it seems lazy, but I think it's pretty cool.
Chapter 4
"Culture is necessary for our very survival. Without it, we wouldn't know who or what we are, nor how to function beyond rudimentary biological life"
Culture is crucial to our being. It coincides with our history and without our history, we wouldn't be where we are today.
“But art is also used to challenge authority and privilege, often precisely by challenging how those in power see the world.”
Resistance is a vital form of art. By resisting authority, you're drawing attention to the cause which gives you the platform to say what you need to say or do what you need to do.
Chapter 5
"The problem with a lot of activism and a lot of art is that it isn't surprising at all. When we stage a protest in a public space with placards on poles and loudly chanting syncopated slogans, no one is surprised."
With everything that's been happening since October 7th (and way before that) people have become a little desensitized to the idea of making a difference. I've seen people boycotting certain brands to going back to spending their money at those brands because "nothing's gonna change" but I think that defeats the whole purpose of boycotting. Some people start to lose their momentum when protesting for a cause and it's because people have become used to it, when this shouldn't be the case.
“If people don’t know how to process facts and make meaning out of them, then the facts will stay right where they are: on the literature table or in a museum.”
This can be applied to various situations. If no one chooses to make meaning out of something, it'll go unseen and become forgotten.
Chapter 6
“Try and understand why people think what they think and do what they do, and then use this to build a better world together.”
One of the most important things you can do for another is be able to understand them and why they do the things that they do. It's the first step to being a kinder individual.
"Promotion is bread and butter for artistic activism, but it's important to think about how to do it in such a way that it inspires action."
It's one thing to look at artistic activism but it's another to be inspired enough to take action for the cause. When promoting your works of activism, it's important to cater to your audience in a way that'll get them to want to support as well.
Chapter 7
“With planning, we can “work smarter, not harder.”
This quote was one that stuck out to me the most. As someone who struggles with planning and organizational skills, taking the time to write everything out and focus on the task at hand has helped me tremendously.
"We are artistic activists, not solipsistic bohemian artists isolated in our garrets. We are more productive and creative when we work with others."
We've all seen the type of bohemian artists she's talking about in this chapter. Art can be depicted in many ways but there's always an underlying meaning behind it. Making art for the sole purpose of being called an artist takes away the authenticity. It's also very important to be a part of a community that understands your vision.
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