4.27.2009

Rhizome versus the Stock Market

$$$!!!!
Here's my beef: 
The Rhizome thing is really just advertising, and honestly what we'd be advertising (psychicfriends.org) is not that great. I'm not saying we're not great, it's just the website doesn't really represent who we are/what we do right now. And also it would be a way of using our money which doesn't make anything new (art). I thought we'd just buy the $5 10x10 thing and be done. Just like a nice quick little thing to do. But then everyone got really stoked (which is great I love people being stoked) but then it killed the stock market piece. I kind of hate advertising and money and that's why the stock market piece was so nice.

In defense of giving our money to the stock market: 
The stock market idea is awesome because it doesn't make any sense. It doesn't make sense for us to do because we know nothing about the stock market and the economy sucks ass. It also kind of articulates my (our?) detachment from these kind of issues and how I (most people) don't understand any of that stuff. Also just the fact that this results in art I think makes it a better idea than giving all our money to Rhizome. So if people really want to scratch the stock market idea then may be we can talk about doing something else that results in art (we are going to need lots of new pieces for the show!!)




18 comments:

Max Guy said...

we should use it for those costumes margot

Neil Sanzgiri said...

i've been sayin that rhizome was just advertising the whole time!

i agree that we should just buy one lil 10x10 and move on.


as for the stock market... i like the idea in concept but i think if theres anything we could actually be putting our money towards (ie costumes, puppets, more zines, etc.) we should consider that as well.

Max Guy said...

if we're to do the stock market thing, its a simple enough thing to organize, make aesthetically pleasing and then execute. whoever is willing to get that started should just do it and we should be done with it, otherwise i think we should just stop talking about it.

Nick Peelor said...

i think we should just do the stock market thing. Fuck advertising. Fuck money. let's buy a 10 by 10 and do the stock market or something

Emily said...

someone should organize the stock market thing then.

Emily said...

we should have a meeting soon.

m▲ude said...

i dont know. part of me like the idea of this stock market thing, but at the same time displaying our apathy or disinterest in out economy doesn't really get us anywhere and doesn't really reflect too well on us. also, i feel like it kinda of flaunts the fact that we all can do this sort of this (throwing money away essentially) and seems just socially irresponsible and inconsiderate.

I know i sound like a prude.

HOWEVER, at the same time, i waste money on stupid shit on a weekly basis. im not a completely frivolous spender, but i do have a bag of cattail balls sitting in my closet (for real ask bettina) so this preachy rant feels a little bit unwarrented on my part. part of me is even wanting to act out on this and is hearing the whole fuck money and this economy we created, but i feel that no one is gonna wanna hear this kind of stuff from (and i'm speaking on my behalf) someone who could blindly invest 60 some dollars into the stock market and not be affected finacially or emotionally or whatever if it succeeded or failed. really, considering our positions in society right now, we're really privilaged and i think that if we wanted to say something about our generation's relationship with money and our economy we can think of a more effective and considerate way.

this is kinda of silly, but if ever in a socially moral conflict i think about presenting my problem or situation to tihs one woman i worked with in ethiopia and wonder what she would say. it's not a filter i employ often and i'm not saying i even really know how she would feel, but it's kind of an exercise that i use to put things into perspective. when i think about this project and presenting it to her or maybe like cameron sinclair, i'd be kind of embarassed that i were doing it and would really uncomfortable. but then again i would also be uncomfortable to disclose the fact that i spent like $30 on wine this month, so...

still, i stand by my thoughts. i dont know.

Margo said...

Ughhhhhh,
I dunno I just really like the stock market thing yeah it's really privileged and shit but I feel like it even has a kind of optimism to it. I just really like it. It's just funny and sort of smart and more dumb than smart which I think for me means art I like. May be.

Carey Chiaia said...

Here's what I think:

Rhizome is clearly an advertisment. Lets get the $5 thing and leave it at that.

Maude brings up a really good point about the stock market. I originally proposed the idea (mostly as a joke) because I thought it would be funny. it seems to have turned into something a little more serious and interesting than that, so I think that if we're really considering it, we should all sit down and talk about it.

Carey Chiaia said...

Also: mo money, mo problems.

Max Guy said...

So far I've really liked our lack of responsibility towards our actions. I think that at this point, it would be hypocritical to start worrying about how other people see us, especially after the things we said in that interview. People will see us in whatever light they want to, lets just do the project because if we don't there won't be anything to think about at all.

I've been thinking about that money as something that's open anyway to whatever project is done next. If we don't get it done then that's kind of tough love.

Mel Barat said...

just buy supplies for future physically tangible projects.
this stockmarket thing has been up in the air since created, i think if something was going to be done with it, it would have already happened.

it would definitely be more beneficial to use the money for supplies

m▲ude said...

it's difficult- i tihnk we've been totally responsible for our actions up until this point. there's always a certain spontaneity thta our projects have embodied from their initial proposal up until their execution and that's something special, but how could you not be responsible for something you put out there? i dont think we should worry about how people will see us either, but i think it's always important to be conscious of what you're putting out there. that sounds a lot more conservative than i mean and im not imply that our (or your of anyones) art should go thru some censor or whatever before it's presented, but i don't think there's anything hypocritical about being aware of what we're putting out there.

i'm really not all in a tizzy about this, so i hope it isn't coming off that way, i feel like i rained on the parade in a way. still, i like the truthfullness in this idea, but don't like the obvious display of responsibility and consideration it projects. it seems like we still have plenty to talk about it without executing it becuase there's nothing thats gonna be externalized physically if we do it- it's an idea now and if we did it it would be a fact that only exists if we talk about it or tell people about it. there's nothing it physically ahs to prove to us.

also, for what max said, it's true that we never force meaning onto people and that people will htink of us what they want, but i dont think that reasoning should be used as a right of passage to do whatever we want.

Nick Peelor said...

the documentation would be the physicality. Prints/a zine/a video/ whatever.

Born Hens said...

Rhizome is an art organization and even if we are buying "advertising" space, at least the money is supporting an art organization rather than being invested in some corporate stock.

Max Guy said...

it just seems to me like either would be picking the lesser of two evils

lost ghost said...

I need Nick Peelor's E-mail address. Can somebody give that to me.
Thank You
apologies for interrupting the flow of this important business

chris day,

lostghostsrecords@gmail.com

Neil Sanzgiri said...

lollll @ chris.


peaceluvncrabs every1 <3<3<3



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