What is ‘Outsider’?
All this zine/media emphasis on marginal, on outsiders…don’t know if any of it is
real.
People might THINK they’re outsiders, but that doesn’t mean they are. Maybe
everyone is equally a part of life and culture. That would seem to place equal
responsibility on all.
If someone can successfully separate themselves from others for any reason at all,
that lets them turn those others into Others and ends up giving them permission to do
and think much silliness. Silliness which will embarrass them when they wake up
later, if they ever do. Is there really such a thing as permission and license—which is
related to this *privilege* we hear so much about? It seems like in the end there is
only duty and responsibility and that nothing lets you off the hook. People who say
they do this or that coz they’re kids or coz they’re punk seem like they’re desparately
trying to create an unreal excuse which only plays with those who take their money.
Marginal might mean ‘small’, which has always been a vital part of society. Margins
are a part of the mainstream. Medians are always drawn into the biggest freeway
plans. Little is just as impt as big.
Is there such a thing as ‘outsider’ art? What is this Art Brut anyway? What does being
associated or not with ‘the academy’ mean?
Wouldn’t perhaps HONESTY be the only criterion that mattered, really, about
anything? Followed by CIVILITY. Followed (and lead by) INTEGRATION.
Heck, I’d even suspect that they’re impt qualities even in big corporations. Sure,
maybe most folks in corpland are lying toadies, but most folks everywhere are. Has
nothing to do with inside or outside.
