Core Concepts
Softness and loveliness can be a powerful artistic and personal expression in a world that often demands harshness and belligerence.
Abstract
This content explores the idea of softness and loveliness as an artistic and personal expression, in contrast to the demands of a harsh and belligerent world.
The author begins by referencing a truism by Jenny Holzer, which encourages the reader to "Turn Soft and Lovely Any Time You Have a Chance." This sets the tone for the piece, which delves into the challenges and potential benefits of embracing softness in a world that often values toughness and aggression.
The author acknowledges that the pursuit of softness and loveliness can be "toilsome," particularly on "grey days" or when faced with the "palaver" of everyday life. However, the author suggests that the protagonist, described as "she," sells herself as an "archetype" for the sake of "art" or "acceptance," implying that the embrace of softness and loveliness is a conscious and deliberate choice.
The author further explores the idea of an "arid arena" where the protagonist's attempts at "hydration" (a metaphor for nourishing the self) are met with drying out and depletion. This suggests that the pursuit of softness and loveliness can be a challenging and draining endeavor in a world that may not always be receptive to it.
Overall, the content encourages the reader to consider the value and importance of softness and loveliness as a means of personal and artistic expression, even in the face of societal pressures to conform to more aggressive or demanding norms.
Quotes
"Turn Soft and Lovely Any Time You Have a Chance."
"Toilsome? Maybe it's a grey day. Maybe it's nothing more than Tuesdays palaver taking firm root in Sundays soil."
"Still, she sells herself as an archetype. For the sake of, art? Acceptance?"