Comments on: The Soul of an Artist http://cafephilos.wordpress.com/2008/07/07/artists-of-the-soul/ We serve only the finest fresh-roasted electrons. Tue, 22 Dec 2009 08:53:11 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: Lynet http://cafephilos.wordpress.com/2008/07/07/artists-of-the-soul/#comment-4596 Lynet Mon, 14 Jul 2008 06:27:03 +0000 http://cafephilos.wordpress.com/?p=1092#comment-4596 It's a pretty story -- but my biggest regret so far is that I wish I'd made more mistakes. I'm glad it worked out for him, though. It’s a pretty story — but my biggest regret so far is that I wish I’d made more mistakes.

I’m glad it worked out for him, though.

]]> By: PhillyChief http://cafephilos.wordpress.com/2008/07/07/artists-of-the-soul/#comment-4594 PhillyChief Mon, 14 Jul 2008 00:08:56 +0000 http://cafephilos.wordpress.com/?p=1092#comment-4594 Naturally I don't buy into the notion of a soul, but I certainly think we know more than we care to admit. In fact, I think we spend more time trying to persuade ourselves to think contrary to our nature, to what's really right. As an artist, I can't help but feel artists are truer to that uncluttered self than others, so we act on it. Our cluttered left brains may not understand why, but our right brain knows, only it can't verbalize it. If it's more palatable to some of you to call that "soul", so be it, but it's all the wonder of our yet to be fully understood brains. Naturally I don’t buy into the notion of a soul, but I certainly think we know more than we care to admit. In fact, I think we spend more time trying to persuade ourselves to think contrary to our nature, to what’s really right. As an artist, I can’t help but feel artists are truer to that uncluttered self than others, so we act on it. Our cluttered left brains may not understand why, but our right brain knows, only it can’t verbalize it. If it’s more palatable to some of you to call that “soul”, so be it, but it’s all the wonder of our yet to be fully understood brains.

]]> By: Dale http://cafephilos.wordpress.com/2008/07/07/artists-of-the-soul/#comment-4593 Dale Sun, 13 Jul 2008 13:49:53 +0000 http://cafephilos.wordpress.com/?p=1092#comment-4593 Paul, great post about an interesting story. I thought you'd want to know this post is included in <a href="http://danceswithanxiety.blogspot.com/2008/07/humanist-symposium-22-questions.html" rel="nofollow">Humanist Symposium 22</a> on my blog. Thanks! Paul, great post about an interesting story.

I thought you’d want to know this post is included in Humanist Symposium 22 on my blog.

Thanks!

]]> By: enreal http://cafephilos.wordpress.com/2008/07/07/artists-of-the-soul/#comment-4585 enreal Fri, 11 Jul 2008 04:04:51 +0000 http://cafephilos.wordpress.com/?p=1092#comment-4585 Great story... I wish I knew to consult my soul back then... I suppose we all have different paths to take on our journey. I hope one day I will feel proud of my life and decisions... I have a feeling I will, but this story rang clear in my ears, thank you for sharing it... Great story… I wish I knew to consult my soul back then… I suppose we all have different paths to take on our journey. I hope one day I will feel proud of my life and decisions… I have a feeling I will, but this story rang clear in my ears, thank you for sharing it…

]]> By: zenuria http://cafephilos.wordpress.com/2008/07/07/artists-of-the-soul/#comment-4578 zenuria Thu, 10 Jul 2008 01:31:34 +0000 http://cafephilos.wordpress.com/?p=1092#comment-4578 If only we could all be as wise as Neil. The heart and the soul should guide our decisions and our behaviour - and then there would be no need for externally imposed rules as we'd all want the best for ourselves AND others. What a remarkable young man he is. Thank you for telling us his story. It is very refreshing to hear. If only we could all be as wise as Neil. The heart and the soul should guide our decisions and our behaviour – and then there would be no need for externally imposed rules as we’d all want the best for ourselves AND others.

What a remarkable young man he is. Thank you for telling us his story. It is very refreshing to hear.

]]> By: Dana Hunter http://cafephilos.wordpress.com/2008/07/07/artists-of-the-soul/#comment-4563 Dana Hunter Wed, 09 Jul 2008 08:19:55 +0000 http://cafephilos.wordpress.com/?p=1092#comment-4563 This is something our society needs a lot more of: delayed gratification. But not <i>too</i> delayed. ;-) This is something our society needs a lot more of: delayed gratification. But not too delayed. ;-)

]]> By: Stevo http://cafephilos.wordpress.com/2008/07/07/artists-of-the-soul/#comment-4561 Stevo Tue, 08 Jul 2008 23:59:36 +0000 http://cafephilos.wordpress.com/?p=1092#comment-4561 I would agree. The gut, the soul, the entrails, are always the nest source for decisions. That's something I often rely on. I would agree. The gut, the soul, the entrails, are always the nest source for decisions. That’s something I often rely on.

]]> By: baekho http://cafephilos.wordpress.com/2008/07/07/artists-of-the-soul/#comment-4552 baekho Mon, 07 Jul 2008 21:01:04 +0000 http://cafephilos.wordpress.com/?p=1092#comment-4552 I've always liked the <i> Daodejing</i>'s take on rules: they only become necessary when we no longer know how to "follow the dao" or as Neil says "listen to the soul". The very fact that we are so preoccupied with "rules" and "morality" suggests we are collectively disoriented and alienated. I don't think we should throw away all sets of rules, but we should see them as guidelines for developing a sort of intuitive compass, not perfect universal standards. I’ve always liked the Daodejing’s take on rules: they only become necessary when we no longer know how to “follow the dao” or as Neil says “listen to the soul”. The very fact that we are so preoccupied with “rules” and “morality” suggests we are collectively disoriented and alienated.

I don’t think we should throw away all sets of rules, but we should see them as guidelines for developing a sort of intuitive compass, not perfect universal standards.

]]> By: Stephen http://cafephilos.wordpress.com/2008/07/07/artists-of-the-soul/#comment-4550 Stephen Mon, 07 Jul 2008 12:11:18 +0000 http://cafephilos.wordpress.com/?p=1092#comment-4550 I enjoyed that. Thanks. I think all decisions are made in the unconscious (or the 'gut'/'soul'/'heart' etc.) because that is where the self resides. I read somewhere recently that we should do nothing that we hate, if our conscious minds and our unconscious self are substantially in line I don't think we will. Neils is story is clearly a good one, as you suggest, I think it was so because he was in harmony with himself. I'm struggling with the concept of societal rules at the moment. Are they necessary? I see much evidence that it would generally suffice if people did nothing they hated. I'm inclined to think that order in society comes from drawing what is inside people out rather than imposing external constraints. Do societal problems stem from failure to follow rules or internal dissonance between conscious and unconscious. Inferring dysfunction from function is tricky but I think Neils story shows that the future is within. Great article. I enjoyed that. Thanks.
I think all decisions are made in the unconscious (or the ‘gut’/’soul’/'heart’ etc.) because that is where the self resides. I read somewhere recently that we should do nothing that we hate, if our conscious minds and our unconscious self are substantially in line I don’t think we will.
Neils is story is clearly a good one, as you suggest, I think it was so because he was in harmony with himself.
I’m struggling with the concept of societal rules at the moment. Are they necessary? I see much evidence that it would generally suffice if people did nothing they hated. I’m inclined to think that order in society comes from drawing what is inside people out rather than imposing external constraints. Do societal problems stem from failure to follow rules or internal dissonance between conscious and unconscious. Inferring dysfunction from function is tricky but I think Neils story shows that the future is within.
Great article.

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