Art can do many things: entertain, challenge, teach, explain, captivate, command attention, amuse, inspire… This list could go on and on. Art is certainly something worthy of admiration and respect, but this is not enough. Admiration is one thing, but we must also have the ability to confront and engage a work of art. In other words, we need to be able to relate to it. It shows us that there is something to be valued in our own experiences, no matter how mundane they may be. There can be something fantastic in the mundane.

To say art is emblematic of human ingenuity, creativity, and survival and to only leave it at that is a tired and old platitude, and highly problematic. There is a potential for more. We need to be aware of the view of art as a coalescence of gray areas, ambiguities and multiple interpretations. It has the ability to provoke thought in ways that are difficult to resolve and uncomfortable. Works of art are places to entertain new thoughts and try out opposing viewpoints and to practice tolerance and flexibility.

When considering artistic expression in online venues, there is no “revolution” in the truest sense. People are complex, varied beings and they always have been aware of their physical and social environments. Art has always been useful as long as human beings observe and critique the world around them. With all the arguments presented so far, it should be clear that art is not merely an improvement on human lifestyles. The differentiation sometimes made between early mankind and what we call “modernity” is too wide. The earliest humans are not less advanced or intelligent than we are. The “modern” world with all its so-called wondrous achievements was the result of the accumulation of knowledge passed down from generation to generation.

To say everyone is capable of creating and enjoying art is something I approach with caution. While I would like to believe it, this is something that individuals must consider on their own. Only the individual can decide whether art will be useful for herself/himself. It’s a matter of choice.

I hope the play goes well, I always loved Waiting for Godot.

your essay expresses so beautifully why the whole debate about rules is ridiculous. game design is about exploration and discovering different and perhaps new possibilities for expression and relationship.

i look forward to your production and i do plan to attend.

thank you again.