Category: Blogs

Reading and critiquing a peer’s introductory paragraph was a great experience. I enjoyed being able to point out what was positive and what needed more work. What I realized when reading a peer’s post was that I needed to check my paragraph for redundancy! I know that I can be a victim to redundancy in many long papers that I write. The most important part that I took out of this experience was that I sometime’s need someone to proof read my writing before I turn it in. Getting second opinions can help me avoid grammar and spelling errors, and hear other viewpoints that may improve my writing.

Introductory Paragraphs

          Dree Urhahn and Jereon Koolhaas are the creators of a project that turned many poor neighborhoods from slums into artwork. They started as filmmakers for a documentary of a low income city in Rio. As their film was done shooting they came up with the idea to “plaster and paint” the unfinished homes of the town. This soon developed into them wanting to create “one big work of art” across the whole street. Urhahn and Koolhaas’ “design” caught the attention of the media and the press, leading them to find other areas that wanted the same. The large painting that went across dozens of houses and buildings had made this neighborhood pleasant. It had changed the townspeople’s lives, helping the outsiders see them as actual people and not “criminals.” After the help of numerous people, they were able to raise enough money to bring this to other areas in Rio, America, Curacao, and Haiti. This project had transformed not only cities but also people because of the new outlook and strong sense of community that it gave them.

          Southan’s article, Is Art a Waste of Time?, speaks of the opinion effective altruists have on using different types of art as a way to help people. This article is written by a writer whose career is based on arts. The passage discusses how people who believe in effective altruism strongly insist on solely working to relieve poverty and those who are in need. Southan describes the idea of doing good deeds via artwork versus “just handing over the money.” The EA idea is to help those who suffer by working as hard as you can and then “donating as much of it as you can.” Southan starts to see that his original idea of helping others, which was creating an amazing movie, is not as helpful as he thinks. Although he may not be doing all he possibly can, I believe that at the end of the read, Southan seems content as he is.

                    I can draw a connection between the TED Talk given by Dree Urhahn and Jereon Koolhaas to Southan’s essay because of the strong use of art, the idea of helping others and trying to make a difference. Urhahn and Koolhaas lead conclusions to how their art project in the low income neighborhoods had impacted the lives of the inhabitants. This is a clear depiction of how art is worth it and how a change in perception can change your surroundings. Vila Cruzeiro had previously been described as a town full of “crime, poverty, and drugs”. Because of artwork this city has now been called “an open-air gallery.” Using art, Urhahn and Koolhaas have been able to change the perceptions of others leading slums to become more pleasant. Southan’s article talks about the importance of helping others and making a difference. I have learned, after reading both of these articles, that helping others is important and that this can happen in many forms.

As I read Is Art a Waste of Time? by Rhys Southan for the second time, I noticed a new perspective of the EA’s as described by Southan. When first reading the passage, I passed over a few important details which lead me to believe that maybe the EA is not trying to be harsh towards the arts but the general actions of others. A belief of the EA that Southan states is “Does your preferred good deed make as much of a difference as simply handing over the money? If not, how good a deed is it really?” This statement, and looking at the effective altruism website, helped swayed my view of the EA.

Southan also mentions that “As EAs see it, writing scripts and making movies demands resources that, in the right hands, could have saved lives.” I can relate this idea of the EAs to my life when trying to save money. Sometimes while I am trying to save money I put random amounts of money in my savings account after accumulating over a certain limit in my checking account. I usually will keep a limit in my checking account so I can spend money on coffee, go out to restaurants with friends, or for unexpected activities like bowling or rock climbing. Although I still am saving money occasionally, I am continuously telling myself it is okay to spend money on unnecessary things instead of putting money directly into my savings account every time I get a check. This is like how people spend thousands on making films and television shows when they are overdone, instead of limiting the amount of movies they put out so they can donate money to charity. The use of “glossing” the text was helpful to me in understanding more in the passage leading me to be less likely to get distracted and disinterested. One word I used was “utilitarian” meaning to “promote the greatest happiness for the greatest number” (dictionary.com).

 

         

          In Is Art a Waste of Time? by Rhys Southan, the argument that different art forms can be used to help those who suffer was extremely powerful to me. In the beginning of this passage Southan mentions a retreat he was going on with a few friends, who are effective altruists. There, Southan starts to feel as if his work may not be as helpful to others as his friends believe everyone’s should be. Southan states “the idea that someone’s book, film, painting, or dance could be their way to reduce the world’s suffering struck Hilton as bizzare, almost to the point of incoherence.” I could relate to the feelings of Southan because I have also had moments where others did not agree with my ideas.

          Southan also mentioned radical altruism “which suggests a baseline donation of 10 percent of your income to effective charities.” He says that “EA comes down to: working hard to earn money and then giving as much of it as you can to the needy.” I was shocked when reading these statements because of how harsh they were. These statements reminded me of how my mother, a owner of two dance studios in NY, offers a free dance class once a week for transgender male and females from the LGTBQ community in our area. This class gives people the opportunity to express themselves and have fun through learning an art.

          Most people can not afford to give ten percent of their earnings to charities every year and my mother is a good example of how the arts can give back to those who suffer. When we give back to our communities through visual arts, filmmaking, books, or any other art form, we are allowing people to gain knowledge and happiness which can be equal to the donation of money.