Wednesday, April 9, 2008

Intentionality

My placing these words in this order in this space is an example of evident intentionality. Whether through a visionary experience or months of rational labor, whatever is kept (like a secret) in my mind is an object of hidden intentionality. Hope lives in the former, and faith lives in the latter. If no one reads what I try to share, my hope and intentions will not matter. If I forget and cannot recall what was in my mind, my faith and intentions will not matter. Actually, even if you discern my intentions and the signs I use here, they will only retain importance by what you decide to do with them. Infederowsah, Ishtin. But let me proceed to an explanation at EPC about "Uncreativity as a Creative Practice" by Kenneth Goldsmith. The title seems oxymoronic, but it is bluntly factual. Mr. Goldsmith had set himself the task of becoming totally uncreative by his fortieth birthday, and his present project, tedious as it was/is, exemplified his best effort so far toward that end. He reveals the urges he's had to subdue in order to successfully accomplish his task. We are managers of information, and cannot be other. The way he dresses befits this/ idea. I have the feeling he is better suited than most for doing what he does. Not that most do not do similar things. It's just that most do them, not because they see it as beyond choice, but rather because sometimes they are beyond choice. I was a night auditor at mostly busy motels and hotels for many years, during which the technologies used in the hospitality business changed often. However, there were times when weather or error caused those technologies to shut down, forcing employees to resort to doing everything by hand. Therein lies the point: Regardless of the task, creativity is creativity; and sometimes the more difficult the task, the greater the creativity needed to complete it. I am beginning to suspect that, like the customer, the intentionalities of an artifact's perceiver are ultimately more powerful than those of an artifact's maker. ? Rho00054

1 comment:

Providence said...

Somewhat congruent thoughts here: http://da-crouton.com/?p=219