This is a very profound message and I'm very greatful to have seen this. As a fellow person who makes videos, I've been feeling with this dissonance of making videos of stuff you care about it, while also that paniced anxiousness to make them asap with a surface level interpretation rather than really savoring what you get from art befofe comming to a conclusion. Thanks for making this, it's a great reminder to be intentional with the art you engage with.
What is true and purposeful engagement? I think we should be also careful to not measure engagement only in the quantity of times someone has encountered the same piece of media. I can read a book poorly and superficially fourty times, take notes I won't give a second thought to and highlight words that have very little meaning to me. But I also can read a book once, without notes, and still savor it, meditate on it and make it a part of my experience that I will remember for a long time even if I won't open it ever again (many books and games I've rented fall under this category). The idea isn't just to replay a videogame many times, it's to purposefully appreciate it from the start, and this might takemany routes: slowing down, researching it's themes, mastering a game mechanic, experiencing the story again but from a different point of view. The disrespect is the lack of attention and reflection, not the abandonment of the piece. There is also some exclusivity and respect in trying to get the most out of something that one can enjoy only for a limited time, in an era when everything and anything is constantky available. I've failed to engage with a lot of art by thinking "I will come back later to re-experience it, so it won't matter if I don't pay attention this time" just to procrastinate, and never going back without having ever actually engaged with it from the start. (edit: typos)
Yeah I feel you; I think my biggest struggle is I have a habit of rushing to see conclusions out of an excitement for surprises so it almost always takes me a second go to really dive deep and comprehend the work. It's important, and Im glad you noted this, that for those that can willfully spend the attention to give a piece all they can on the first go, they should. I also love your tid-bit about rapid and thoughtful consumption of media in our lightning fast society. Reminds me of Backlog videos about how creators try to catch up on media quickly and attentively by planning out their experience and doing everything they can to respect and swiftly finish off several titles. Also appreciate the comment, thank you for engaging with my little video, lol!
I can tell you make these video primarily for you, and others hearing your story will have a positive impact. I agree how important it is to analyze all the filters by which I experience art. The importance of taking a deep breath and setting time aside to absorb my experience while trying to grow in multiple ways using what I've digested. Great video!
this came out as an opportune time, as something i've also been thinking about a lot recently. i've been trying to push people i care about to engage with art more (maybe too much) since recently coming to some similar realizations about my own engagement with art and how much the choice to engage rather than consume has transformed the way i see it. it's a difficult feeling to explain to someone that doesn't quite get it since it's something i feel is learned by doing, but i think a piece that managed to convey this idea well in a way that wouldn't be abrasive to the average person (in fact, that's leveraged to make a point) is The Beginner's Guide by Davey Wreden. thank you for sharing these thoughts. i hope this video gets more people thinking about how they engage with art
This is a very profound message and I'm very greatful to have seen this.
As a fellow person who makes videos, I've been feeling with this dissonance of making videos of stuff you care about it, while also that paniced anxiousness to make them asap with a surface level interpretation rather than really savoring what you get from art befofe comming to a conclusion. Thanks for making this, it's a great reminder to be intentional with the art you engage with.
What is true and purposeful engagement? I think we should be also careful to not measure engagement only in the quantity of times someone has encountered the same piece of media. I can read a book poorly and superficially fourty times, take notes I won't give a second thought to and highlight words that have very little meaning to me. But I also can read a book once, without notes, and still savor it, meditate on it and make it a part of my experience that I will remember for a long time even if I won't open it ever again (many books and games I've rented fall under this category). The idea isn't just to replay a videogame many times, it's to purposefully appreciate it from the start, and this might takemany routes: slowing down, researching it's themes, mastering a game mechanic, experiencing the story again but from a different point of view.
The disrespect is the lack of attention and reflection, not the abandonment of the piece.
There is also some exclusivity and respect in trying to get the most out of something that one can enjoy only for a limited time, in an era when everything and anything is constantky available. I've failed to engage with a lot of art by thinking "I will come back later to re-experience it, so it won't matter if I don't pay attention this time" just to procrastinate, and never going back without having ever actually engaged with it from the start.
(edit: typos)
Yeah I feel you; I think my biggest struggle is I have a habit of rushing to see conclusions out of an excitement for surprises so it almost always takes me a second go to really dive deep and comprehend the work. It's important, and Im glad you noted this, that for those that can willfully spend the attention to give a piece all they can on the first go, they should.
I also love your tid-bit about rapid and thoughtful consumption of media in our lightning fast society. Reminds me of Backlog videos about how creators try to catch up on media quickly and attentively by planning out their experience and doing everything they can to respect and swiftly finish off several titles.
Also appreciate the comment, thank you for engaging with my little video, lol!
I can tell you make these video primarily for you, and others hearing your story will have a positive impact. I agree how important it is to analyze all the filters by which I experience art. The importance of taking a deep breath and setting time aside to absorb my experience while trying to grow in multiple ways using what I've digested. Great video!
this came out as an opportune time, as something i've also been thinking about a lot recently. i've been trying to push people i care about to engage with art more (maybe too much) since recently coming to some similar realizations about my own engagement with art and how much the choice to engage rather than consume has transformed the way i see it.
it's a difficult feeling to explain to someone that doesn't quite get it since it's something i feel is learned by doing, but i think a piece that managed to convey this idea well in a way that wouldn't be abrasive to the average person (in fact, that's leveraged to make a point) is The Beginner's Guide by Davey Wreden.
thank you for sharing these thoughts. i hope this video gets more people thinking about how they engage with art
super excellent vid!! rly thoughtful philosphies about life n media!!