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Writer-s-Bloc

We are those artists

By Ben Goerner

I have been seeing memes on social media about not needing entertainers, that they are not important.

These memes that imply that all we need are doctors, farmers, mechanics and so on.  

That’s true. But we don't need entertainers, artists, with unique skills and talents that many of us wish we had?

  • No TV or movies then. 
  • No books. 
  • No music.
  • No paintings in your home
  • No You Tube or streaming
  • No live streaming on Facebook
  • No hockey or football…….. 

Sorry, but there are so many talented entertainers out there that help us keep a humorous, emotional, imaginative balance in our lives. 

They help us to understand the world is full of unique and different things. And they do so in so many different sensuous, imaginative visual and auditory ways. 

They help us forget sometimes the pressures and woes we all face from time to time. I couldn't imagine a world without an artist's brush stroke, an overture, the stroke of the pen.

I couldn't imagine a world with deadpan facts only and no story to help bring those facts to life.  

I couldn't imagine not closing my eyes while getting lost in a musical moment or:

  • Sitting on the edge of my seat wondering what will happen next
  • Shedding a tear at a song
  • Giggling at some slapstick or raising my fist with inspiration to do what is right
  • Moved to change the world because of a song, poem, book, play or show, or because a sports hero took up a cause and led the way.

Now, the artists are all last to regroup or re gain any semblance of a living.  And even now to be shut down again. 

The world is going to be a different place for a long time for many of us. But the world mustn't lose its art, music, lyric, prose, language and, most importantly, the diversity of all of that.  

The world must not lose its imagination.

While you're reading a good story online on your device or on paper, written by an artist, or looking at pictures and images created by an artist, or listening to music by artists, or a comedy routine created by artists; while you're waiting for your car to be fixed, or the doctor to see you or whatever, remember that we all have a role in society.  

That role is to fully create, with imagination and aptitude, a diverse and interesting world full of colour, sound, touch, and taste. It is the artist that brings imagination to all of that. 

We are those artists.

Ben Goerner, a retired substance use counsellor with 31 years in the field, lives in Lake Country with his wife and is proud of his daughter attending UBCO. He is also a singer songwriter and blogger often writing and creating music about his experiences with addiction. You can read and listen to more at bensharmonics.com

This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.



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Welcome to Writer’s Bloc, an opinion column for guest writers to share their experiences and viewpoints with our readers.

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