Would you make your art if you were the last person on earth?

I'm writing two books. Same underlying philosophy. A philosophy I think is pretty important to share (because it affects how easily people are ripped off and/or just confused by managing their relationship with money). One is a (foolishly long) novel. The other is a non-fiction version. Everyone seems to be appallingly more excited by the latter. I have way more chance of getting the latter published. If you could guarantee neither would ever actually be published, I'd still finish the much longer job of editing the novel. I'd drop the non-fiction tomorrow... :)

About two years ago I switched from trying to make something useful for others to making something useful for me. I figured, if it's mostly crickets who react to my work, I may as well do something useful for me. It's still crickets, but I'm enjoying more than ever the work I do :). Maybe some day more people will appreciate it, but I'm prepared for that to never happen. At least it's good for me.

Although I don't agree on not telling anyone about it. It's true you shouldn't do things only for others, but as you said if it's also useful for others it's a nice bonus. So it's also important to communicate the work so that you increase the chances of that happening.

Love this, Derek, thank you! Creating art for art's sake makes us better humans, and the world a better place. I've been trying to inspire my students that way for over two decades. By the way, have you read the book "Be Nobody" by Lama Marut? I love it, and I think you may too :)

Interesting! I do the things I do because I love them. I make pots and love my garden...just for me. If you also enjoy them even better. As an educationalist ... another passion and love that fulfils me creatively ... I would have no way to satisfy that part of me if there were none left to educate except myself.

I had a similar discussion with a friend, who said she was pursuing success. I said I didn't care at all if my writing was a failure, by any measure at all, as long as I wrote what I needed to write before I died.

I came to the conclusion that in order to get good enough at the process of writing, I had to lose the fear of the outcome. Even if it were doomed to gather dust (or its digital equivalent), and no one else ever were ever to read it, I would still write it.

On the other hand, I'm under no illusion that my ideas come exclusively from my own mind. They come from the world, and from those whose writing I've read, and from those with whom I've discussed my ideas. Without the minds of others, I don't think I would have anything I'd need to write, or anything worth reading.

I wrote a little about losing fear here:
clerestory.netlify.com/on-fear/

Derek, what I'm hearing you say here is that it's important to be aware of (and honest with ourselves about) the motivations we have for making art. That it's worth seriously considering that we might be making art more for ego reasons rather than simply for the sake of exploring the possibilities, or finding our unique artistic voice.

But making art "for other people" doesn't have to be aiming for recognition only. It can mean making art for other people's benefit, but not necessarily their approval or praise, as in the context of activism, social commentary, etc. And in many of these situations, it's necessary to get the word out as much as possible, for the art to reach the people.

Maybe it's stronger when done anonymously though, so that it's not possible for the ego to get swept away in case of the art achieving wild success?
Yeah, like Peter Aitchison's comment below, about acting. I hadn't thought of that distinction before. That some art seems like it can be done for just me (writing, music) and some art is done in partnership with the audience, like acting. And like your activism/commentary example. Thanks for this comment. — Derek

That's a great question to ask. As a sculpter I say 100% yes. The process is so much more to me than the product. But as an actor, although I prefer the process to the performance, I can't even imagine how that would work. As I write this I now imagine I might populate the world with many different characters. Hell ya I would act more and get more out of it. Good question
Good distinction! Thank you! Maybe for my friend music is more like acting? Something done for the audience. — Derek

I answered this question immediately with YES!

Writing to me is the best way to arrange my mind and to explore myself deeply. I enjoy writing my thought and ideas and if there are people who like my content that would be bonus! I write for myself, to myself and people find my content is very authentic and genuine. Of course!

Art for me is about discovery. It's about creating something I love. My own discovery which needs to be shared in the world.

In the end art is bigger than the artist and helps the world to move forward. So if you are the only person on this planet, art makes no sense. But that's a very depressing idea and not realistic.

"If you can't say Hell Yeah! say no" - now who did I hear that from. Thanks Derek.

Ooh, this is an interesting question. For me, personally, it is a mix.

When I make dances, I do it because I have a ‘vision’ that a piece of music (in most cases - it can also be another source of inspiration at times, but then the idea stays a bit more abstract until I find music that ‘clicks’ with it) calls out to be danced to life.

When I start working on it it is for me, but at some point in the process it also becomes about the sharing. I see performing a dance as trying to make the world a tiny bit more beautiful for a moment.

When I write poetry or journal or draw it is just for me. Now that I write blog posts it again is a mix. I write most of the time about things that interest me, or experiences that touched me in some way, and the writing itself at times changes the way I see/understand things. Other times I write things I believe might be useful for others. It does make me happy to do that. Those posts feel different, in a way.

And sometimes I write for a good cause - which then is even MORE about communicating, in away.

Thank you for this question!

Derek, you are my muse. ☺ “Ultimately, everything I do is for myself.” Absolutely. If you're doing it for someone else, you're not tapping into your true self. Create what your heart desires! If it resonates with others, great! If not, also okay! It's taken me 47 years to finally wake up to this, and it feels amazing.

I had tried a similar experiment last year.

I used to post a lot on Instagram about my music gigs as well as my fitness routine. At some point I wasn't sure if I was doing it for myself or for others. So I took a month off from all social media, switched to a dumb phone and continued living my life

To my surprise I still kept doing the same things, without the need to share it publicly

Nowadays, I consciously follow the philosophy laid down by Joey Roth in this excellent poster:
www.levelframes.com/collections/joey-roth-collection/charlatan-martyr-hustler

I don't do anything just for myself, nor just for others, as I am not my own, and I'm never alone. I am the offspring of Love, and manager of all that I have been given. As manager, I can sit at the table of life and enjoy whatever I create that is good, because it reflects the nature of, and pleases my Creator. It also satisfies the longings in me that are fueled by my Father's gifts of inspiration. I must be ready to capture these fleeting gifts while they are near. There is joy in both creating, and in sharing the fruit of inspiration with others who appreciate it, which greater satisfies the longings in me. So joy is welcome to live in me at all times.

It’s a good question to ask; and yes, very hard to figure out the answer. We are so very good at deceiving ourselves! We explain things away to justify what we really want. Like, I *think* I do my art for its own sake because I have terrible performance anxiety which makes it hard to share. I have a super huge fear of being judged. Or maybe that means I care too much what other people think?

An easy yes answer. Music has been such a gift in this life. Big open E chords still make me so happy and resonate down deep somewhere. Hard to verbalise that joy. Would definitely keep creating sounds if I was the last person alive. How else would the aliens find me:)

I will happily continue to create and express beauty and love to the greatest extent possible, whether for a party of one or for everything, in pursuit of happiness.
Cheers!

Hello Derek and others,

I suppose comments are an art, and I surely don't do them here for Derek, as I am firmly fixed on helping-talking to all the readers. As Derek knows, I read all the comments for a post too, even when, as always, there are a great many.

At my Toastmasters club (for public speaking) Lera has done 40 speeches. Just now she has a lot of stress in her life and so is dropping our club, and Lera told me something interesting: Doing speeches still stresses her greatly.

Not me. If speeches are an art performance then I handle it like the famous magician in Dale Carnegie's classic book, How to Win Friends and Influence People. He would stand in the wings before going on stage and repeating to himself, "I love my audience."

(Surely focusing on love not fear, art not market, is the best way to avoid stress)

Me too. Even more than speeches, my favorite art is putting essays into cyber space. After ten years of sending out weekly essays I hear little or nothing back, almost no comments, but make no mistake: My works are powered by my love of imaginary persons, somewhere, who would take them in.

Needless to say, I don't write with a eye on the reader, or what she would want, but at the end of the day I wouldn't feel good if my stuff was totally self-indulgent to the point of being pointless to everyone else. Awareness of others gave frame and substance to my work.

I would make art even if I was stranded on a (warm) island, like Tom Hanks in Cast Away. I would make music - use the empty coconut shells for percussion, find some reeds and make a "flute," use some nice, soft sand in a shaker (layers of palm fronds fashioned together, tied with strips of bark for the shaker) and sing my heart out- because that's what I do anyway. I would do it because it brings me joy... I do things because they are meaningful to me... and think that when they are shared, it will probably touch someone else's heart or funny bone as well - because we are all quite similar... similar but unique.

Derek, awesome new article you have created! I would totally keep creating art if I was the last person on earth as well! It's important to create and initiate ideas from within yourself first, and if other humans enjoy your creations, it makes life sweet! Your excellent article helps reminds me I have kept writing and recording original music since age 17, and I gain more excitement and happiness from hearing a new song completed and out of my brain, than I care about receiving praise or money. For me the hard work of crafting a song from thin air is the actual accomplishment, which is just for myself and not to impress others. Maybe one day a nice payment will arrive, but until then, I just thrilled to keep creating art for myself. I truly hope other people will find my music and art, and gain something from it in a very positive way. Thank you Derek for another great article. Your writing really makes the reader think and want to respond back, so congrats to you on finding such a cool extra talent, to be able to write so smoothly and intelligently!

Trey :)
http://www.WhiskeyChild.com

Earlier, I said I read all the comments. That is easy, as this blog (and others) is a leisure hobby for me, to be done on my own happy time.

I can only suspect—I don't dare go around asking—that people are reading on their employer's dime, at work, guilty and in a hurry... such a rushing mindset is surely left brain, and just not conductive to creativity or perceiving that Derek is making a metaphor.

I would advise you, dear reader, to pick your battles, pick which blogs you are NOT going to rush through... better to do like when shopping for clothes: buy (read) half as much, but pay (linger) twice as much. I would rather not read at all than rush.

Today, since I have seen it before, I merely skimmed the comments of of one of Derek's popular posts, the one about the Dancing Guy and leadership.

I didn't know whether to laugh or get a sour mouth at all the yellow comments by Derek where he had to assure people that yes they could use his post. Didn't the other commenters read? Even if they only read the yellow, Derek's permission is in comment after comment after comment. Arrgh!

I'll say it again, "Argh!"

I learned that really making money and reputation requires playing out at events. But my real enjoyment is putting out CDs. As I'm composing and arranging the music it gets to me and tears are running down my cheeks and I feel I'm out in the Universe some where watching nature build suns, planets, moons and spending time to allow nature to provide all sorts of life.

Will do all that I want, if possible in a speed of light... in a lifetime, with or without audience. Do it even with eyes closed until it makes *me* smile in silence, even if it would work now or won't. At times you (I) do it simply for the spirit of it. Be in love with what all that you do. Just make sure to leave breadcrumbs and tangible results that won't be wasted in case you die in the process. Life is all about doing. Life without doing is death.

hi derek, hope all is well. i’ve decided that i now like the idea of “living” my art… why show how things can and aught to be (aristotle) through art when it can be lived itself. flowing living personal art as life :)

I clicked on this one because I read the title and said, “Hell Yeah!”

I have been singing for the catharsis since I was a small child and in those days no one was paying any attention at all. So yes, I would continue to do it even if I were the last person on earth. I'd probably need it more than ever. But singing for other people adds a whole other dimension. Now I am writing a memoir which I definitely never want to publish but which will help me unravel my incredibly complicated life for *me* only. Having said that, though, I was stunned when one of my posts got several hundred responses from people who said it had helped **them** in some way (to understand/to feel heard/to feel seen/included) and sometimes in the street someone who read it has come up and thanked me. So who knows. Joseph Conrad once said: “My task, which I am trying to achieve is, by the power of the written word, to make you hear, to make you feel--it is, before all, to make you see.” That drive is undeniable. But I do like the idea of anonymity for the sake of honesty. like JQ Whitcomb says.

I once took a business course (after grad school - MFA in visual / media arts) my dad encouraged (made) me. I got an "A". But the instructor said, "Deanne's plan is good, but it isn't really a business, because she would continue to make the work even if it didn't sell, or make a profit". Or something like that:) He was wrong, I stopped doing ceramics. But yes, I still make art regardless of its sale.
The question of audience though -- Duchamp suggested there is no art without audience. I am making my stuff for myself primarily. But I do like/want to show/engage others. The conversation is part of it.
And selling it for a profit would be delovely too:)

That makes a lot of sense. But you'd have a hard hard time if there were no other people in the world. Nothing would work, no electricity, no free time because survival would be the only thing that mattered. Yeah, I shouldn't ruin the analogy by being reductive. But its fun sometimes.

Everyone is compelled to do something...everyone has a passion for something...the diversity is what makes it all interesting...because we all have curiosity...the value we assign to skill sets being defined by money is a serious flaw in Western developed society...

If I were the last person on earth I would absolutely still write, compose and sing my songs. It's not a choice, it's a need. What God blessed me with is something that is natural.

There are no complete answers to what life is about. We are in this immense universe and we're seeking something to hold on to, something to inform us and if at all possible, something to delight us. Art does all of that.

After thinking a bit I’d have to say yes. As a teacher, I feel like I’m aiding discovery in another person(my audience). However, everyone teaches themselves on their own how to do something at some point in their lives. I believe this ability to lead yourself/someone to discovery is an art. I can always teach myself new skills with the right materials and experience.

What complicates my situation though, is that I teach language and communication. Can you successfully teach yourself a language with which you will never use to communicate with another person? Then, can I do my art without an audience? If I’m leading discovery of a language, the. I’d have to answer no.

I completely agree! Not having an audience wouldn't stop me. I absolutely love to create music. There is something to be said for doing things just for the joy of it. For me, maybe there a little extra freedom with not getting too tied up over what someone else thinks of my art (be it good or bad).

Why you? Why that thing? Our ever continuing journey for self discovery and being.

Howard Roark.

The reasons we do what we do. I find that creating is in of itself the journey and destination. The rest is bonus. That being said there is a difference when one performs in front of an audience that have some expectation. I could go either way here. Thanks Derek for giving me these points to ponder. Food for thought.

I think that if I were the last person on earth, I'd collapse into unrecoverable depression, because all my loved ones were gone and there would be no chance to connect with others anymore :)

But that aside, the process of making art makes me happy. I've been learning the ukulele lately, and it makes me happy. I suck! I suck very badly! But I'm making music and singing along. It's a way to spend my time that rejuvenates my soul.

I doubt I'll ever perform with the uke (I'm happy with my day job, and I am shy to sing in front of other people). It's there because it makes me happy. That's it.

Hmm I wish playing video games was considered an art form

maybe it almost sort of is

thank you for the thoughts

If I was the last person on this planet I would still write songs or orchestrations. I wouldn't be able to help it because that's what I've always done since I was 10 years old. So, I guess even though I want people to hear my music and like it or don't like it, I've been writing my songs for me.

Hi Derek - I've thought about this a LOT over many years of writing music. I think there's always personal satisfaction that has to come from making art, in the first place. YOU need to love it - first.

However, I believe that if you love it, other people will too and as humans - we need to make a connection.

I cried in the scene in "Rocketman" when he was sitting at the piano and was writing Your Song. Thinking about the impact that song has had on billions of people and it started with a simple riff. It's as beautiful as life itself.

This is a kind of question where either you have absolute clarity or you're afraid to admit your confusion(born out of fear).
I am neither glad nor sad/worried by this question because i have not spend enough time my craft, with my fears and this question.
I have started to doubt myself and i think i got what they call "paralysis by analysis". I need to spend some time with myself. I need some clarity. ☺

My initial answer to this was yes, definitely. Being creative in whatever form, is such a nice escape from daily life. But it did make me think of one exception. In my 20’s I did a lot of sketching and still have about 5 books full of things like the human form, my dog etc. I’m 62 now. I’ve never tried to make a living that way, and I’ve really only shared those sketches with my ex-wife and my kids. But your post has me thinking... if I haven’t tried to impress anyone with them, but I value them so much that Ive held onto them for decades, then why am I not still devoting time to it and practicing?

A really delightful and enjoyable article! I would also definitely say 'yes' to art.
You've got a creative mind, nice!
Imagine after a few years of living alone you hear a knock on the door! What would you do?
Here are my thoughts on 'What if you were the last person on earth?' Hope you enjoy them!
thebetterhumanity.com/what-if-you-were-the-last-person-on-earth-2/
Cheers!

Absolutely. I love music and if there was no one else on earth, how would I get to hear new music?

But isn't our knowledge and experience the combination of a whole bunch of other artists' creations? I mean that every part of my identity has somehow been derived from the works of others (good or bad). And it would be a pity not to contribute to someone else's identity in the best way I can.

I'd probably change my art, which is what I'm doing right now. I'm a hobbyist photographer, and I do photography for my own sake. My favorite genre is fashion, and my second favorite is street photography. Fashion died for me in advance of the virus; street photography is out for now because of the virus. If I was the last person on Earth, there wouldn't be anyone to photograph. Additionally, there would be no one with whom to share my work, no one who could understand my work whom I could uplift with it. What's the point?

I've turned to my math.

I'm a mathematician. Ha. I'm a person who likes and does mathematics. I've returned to playing with math games, the game of late is the Traveling Salesman Problem. I've worked it on and off over the last twelve years, and in the last six weeks had a major breakthrough. YAY! WOW! RAH! No one cares. Doesn't matter.

Math is one of my art outlets. I still have to do it, even if it's just for me, even if the end product if I succeed means nothing outside of me. It will mean something to me.

Oh yeah!

I think if anyone is put off by the "end of the world" implications, then a more comforting way to frame this question might be: "If you were isolated for months at an automated antarctic research station..."

To reference a post of Derek's, "art" is what I would hate "not" doing, even in the antarctic.

Self-discovery question: what an eye-opener! Although I am not an artist, I can comprehend and relate to this question as "Would you keep doing what you're doing if you were the last person on Earth?"

I couldn't resist writing an article about how I answered this question and came to self-realization! Here's the link if you want to have a read - www.linkedin.com/pulse/why-do-you-what-saiyana-ramisetty/

Best,
Yana

A very successful blogger who used to work at AOL, John Scalzi, said the blogosphere is almost a ghost town now. Social media is easier to write. But I notice he still blogs.

Me too, although my readers are as scarce as desert watering holes, as I if I am the last person in the desert.
My blog essays are a chance to problem solve: How to reveal truth, without throwing truth into people's faces like a wet dishrag. I like the challenge.

At a writer's convention this weekend (When Words Collide) I learned that most readers can't handle essays, but they can handle fiction, and so writers use fiction as stealth way to deliver truth. I will try that.