The Culture of Possibility

Another friend has written a book - The Culture of Possibility: Art, Artists & the Future by Arlene Goldbard.

Arlene's premise is that our culture is influenced perhaps even defined by how we support art and creativity. None among us will argue that art has not been diminished in our schools owing to the never-ending budget cuts. The Culture of Possibility suggests that we ignore Art at the peril of our Culture. There is a timely even timeless message that we would do well to consider.

What Arlene has written is an antidote to the despair many of us feel about the direction of our culture. Her work is not only anti-consumerism but it demonstrates how the current state of work and consume is itself both anti-social and anti-community.

I would point out that some of us hear very different things and conjure very obscure images when the word "art' is invoked. But Arlene makes the strongest of her points when she reminds us that music is art. Who of us has not been moved by music, who doesn't still drift back to "brighter days" and "happier times" when hearing the refrains of music from our adolescent years.

When you encounter dark nights, when politicians and Wall Street make you despair for our future. Take some time to heed a simply yet powerful message. We collectively can take it all back, there does exist a Culture of Possibility where the greed and avarice of today's economic machine do not dominate the future.

Arlene has written a guide to those times that will uplift your spirits and have you humming a happy tune, though it might be Woody Guthrie or Holly Near you hear.