Remixing using Google

My keywords to describe what I think it means to be an artist are: emotions (top left), Freedom (top right), beauty (bottom left), creativity (bottom right), and unique (background)

spirituality and creativity

To me, spirituality is something that is strongly tied into religion. I believe spirituality is getting in touch with this like other side of yourself that is based on faith and your belief in things that seem outside of this world. I think spirituality can mean so many things it is hard for anyone one person to explain, it could be how you may strongly believe in something or it could simply be the way you feel when your outside going for a walk deep in the woods and just enjoying nature. I am sure there are many ways that spirituality may differ from religion but to me, the two go hand in hand, maybe its because I grew up in a very catholic society and environment since I went to a private school too.
Creativity is the ability to do or think of something that is unique and special to you that no one else has done in your way. I think it is something that can not be shared unless that person chooses to do so since it is her or his creativity and it only belongs to them until they do otherwise with it. I believe that creativity stems from your knowledge and experience. I think we draw from our past and through the lessons and things we have learned we come up with our own thoughts and ideas which are our creations based on the things we know and understand. I definitely do not think that creativity can be taught, I feel that it is definitely something that only can be learned through time by the person because someone just teaches you something, then there is nothing really creative about that because it did not come from you, it came from the person that taught you it.

Fear as fun

Another article I came across was one by Terrence Rafferty of the New York Times which was entitled, “The Thinking Reader’s Guide to Fear.” Rafferty decided to take a pretty simplistic approach to it. Other than trying to dive deep into why “the way in which the artistic presentation of normally aversive events and objects can give rise to pleasure or can compel our interests,” as stated by Carrol, Rafferty just says to enjoy horror if its something you like and to go away from it if it is not. Rafferty goes on just to say that horror to him is like an extended amusement park ride, he says he can tell you many reasons why its enjoyable, but again, that does not necessarily mean its for everyone. Basically, Rafferty is expressing that if horror is your thing, then come along and enjoy the ride, if not, then that is okay too.

I think this type of approach is compelling because I think for the most part that horror films are made for people to enjoy, I really doubt that film makers truly want to mess with people’s minds to the points where they can never go to sleep again or never be able to take a walk down a long dark road near the forest. I feel at times that yes, horror films are indeed an art and those who create it should be well respected for their work, but at the same time I find it amazing how people can go so deep into a subject which I never thought of to be so complex. I always thought of movies as just movies, I never thought about all the details and theories/themes that go into it, I just like being entertained but looking at some of the things people have written about different genres of movies, it almost feels like there is a whole other world out there that I have missing out on.

Bibliography:

Rafferty, T. (n.d.). The Thinking Reader's Guide to Fear. Retrieved May 2, 2007, from

     http://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/04/books/review/

     04rafferty.html?ex=1307073600&en=0ec84e8fc96e6257&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&e  

     mc=rss 

Why we like scary movies

I came across a very interesting article which was written by a professor Leon Rappoport from Kansas State University. The goal of his article was to express his opinion as to why humans enjoy watching horror films. He claims that humans as humans develop and get older we get use to things becoming safe and secure. He goes on to talk about how horror movies are one way for which we dare ourselves to escape this security. Its kind of like the same reasons why we would kids use to stay up late after bedtime to tell ghost stories, we have this rebellious side inside of us which needs to be released at one time or another so that we can feel truly alive. Rappoport also claims that this type of attitude is especially apparent amongst teenagers since they have not yet reached the age of 18 or 21 when they have more freedom to do what they want.

I think this analysis of horror movies is pretty interesting, I never thought of watching horror movies as some philosophical idea about the growth of humans. I always just thought of it as people who loved to get a thrill out of being scared. I am not sure if I really agree with Rappoport’s claim but it is definitely an intriguing idea. I personally like to think of horror films as Noel Carrol when he stated, “It engages its audience by being involved in processes of disclosure, discovery, proof, explanation, hypothesis, and confirmation. The idea that horror movies present this story which triggers our curiosity I think is very legit, these movies make us time and time again ask questions like, how can someone possible get away with this? Or, how are they going to get caught and is it possible? Every step of the way pulling us into the storyline. All in all, I think there are very many ways to interpret horror films, whether it be from a philosophical point of you or just from a simple one, horror films are made for entertaining thrill ride and I think that is why people like them.

Bibliography:

Rappoport, L. (n.d.). Why we like to watch scary movies. Retrieved May 2, 2007, from

     http://www.mediarelations.k-state.edu/WEB/News/NewsReleases/listscarymovies.html