Art and Culture # 64
The Fallacy of Applicability
-For the Uncensored!
There is much that the world itself has. Allegory. Allegory is the status of turning itself into one singular meaning. To mean only one thing is what fiction writers fell into with realism. There is no depth, but often the stories of the wild west often fall into heroic lineage. But the condition of turning itself into a modern day meaning is what story tellers often leads to base assumptions.
It becomes political rather than metaphorical. Sometimes an Allegory doesn’t mean it will always attribute to the past, too. Modern interpretations of ancient cultures always try to add some modern impotence upon a piece of text to try and make it relevant to today. When maybe the ancient code of Chivalry doesn’t have to be said or shown in modern movies in order to achieve that desired effect. The absolute pain of having to be chivalrous in a mad world, and to accept it, can’t always be interpreted with a modern lens.
Sometimes quests have to represent the mortals who find themselves even when they don’t want to. Readers and viewers are allowed to make interpretations in their own life. Finding that is what makes each reader unique because that’s what is offered to the reader. Nothing else.
To understand this creates a dichotomy. Sometimes maybe knowing what an author intended can often spoil what you see and read in the work.
What makes applicability a modern stigma is that most authors don’t have to share some political philosophy they share so outright. Metaphor is what separates a classic from a passing phase. Tolkien never liked the allegory of Lord of the Rings being placed within modern contexts. That Saruman is supposed to represent Hitler or Stalin is unequivocally untrue, and it’s a fallacy.
Tolkien didn’t like allegory is that only meant one equation. In the foreword to Lord of the Rings, From the DVD Commentary of the Extended cut of Lord of the Rings,
Tolkien states, “I cordially dislike allegory and all its meanings and grown to dislike them ever since I have grown old and weary enough to do so. I most prefer history. True or faint. With its varied applicability to readers. Many Confuse applicability with allegory. And the one resides in the reader and the purpose dominated by the author.”[i]
It’s not so bad to have a political thriller. Because not everything has to be mired with a message or something that has no intellectual value at all. Metaphor is what each artist should look forward to. Messages often end up in works of art anyway. If you think Leonardo Da Vinci’s Last supper is without a message, you are sorely mistaken.
Allegory doesn’t have to reside in any piece of art. No matter how imaginative it might be. Art exists to represent an individual’s soul, even when you might not like what they have to say. To destroy one’s individuality for the sake of financial gain, doesn’t mean you’re an artist either. What becomes of an artist when that piece of art is once again put to the test of allegory. Sometimes a modern interpretation can be done so beautifully and hilariously from Monty Python but done so horridly drab and boringly by David Lowery’s 2021 interpretation of The Green Knight.
It makes sense that people would come to their own conclusions. But this is also why Social Justice Warriors can’t seem to write a good story anymore, because they have to use existing brands to tell modem day allegories that would never survive on their own.
Ice T said in an interview that he was attracted to “originality” and that’s what I am attracted to as an artist. Yes, people have their obsessions, and people often don’t go looking for what interests them. As John Irving said, Obsessions choose you. And Tolkien had his obsessions as much as any author I have read previously or currently.
But to use allegory of Tolkien, the Green Knight, when interpreting your own Social Justice attitudes is why people don’t have a creative spark anymore. They see everything in today, and not in a pool of imagination. So, if people say that “originality doesn’t exist” it’s because that person projects that false sense of security, instead of saying, “I’m too lazy and too fucking stupid to make up my own story and in my own universe and I’m afraid of sending it out to people.”
Sometimes an artist has to shame a generation for not working hard enough in order to create art that reflects who YOU are and not what your political/social ideology is.
To create a long lasting work of art has to stand on its own. Sometimes being ignored and you never getting the credit you deserve. But being an artist is that. Being ignored and often hated for being original comes with the territory. And as Kat Williams said, “A hater has nothing to do.” Keep being you and you might be doing something right. If not, pivot directions. And above all, be genuine, stimulating, and original.
. Found 01/22/2022.
[ii] Here’s where the leftists check out and I’m fine with that. As the adults are here now: this is for people who stayed and read. And some people on the right fall into this category of artistic blind spots when pushing politics into every piece of art. Not everyone should be a culture critic, because art doesn’t come from picking apart someone else’s artistic endeavors. But mostly the ignorant biased underwhelming left and their artistic choices leave me more to criticize than the right.
-Louis Bruno is the author of more than 19 books, including, The Michael Project, The Michael Project: Book 2: The Lost Children of Eve, Thy Kingdom Come, The Disintegrating Bloodline (and the original text re-released in 2019), Apocalypse Soldier, The Data Chase, Selection: The First Book of the Life and Death Saga, and Blinking Eyes: The Second Book of the Life and Death Saga, Hierarchy of Dwindling Sheep, The City of Sand, To the Moon and Back, The Villain Lives and The Villain Lives: The Divided Pinpoint, Come Home, Young One. He has a Bachelor of Arts in English from University of Phoenix. His books can be found on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Lulu. He can be found on Gab, https://gab.com/thereallouistbruno, Minds https://www.minds.com/lbruno8063/. Instagram @lbrruno8063 and @louisbrunoofficialbook. Our Freedom Book https://www.ourfreedombook.com/thereallouistbruno17. He has written for the Intellectual Conservative and Ephemere. His next series, City of Sand is out now:https://www.lulu.com/en/us/shop/louis-bruno/city-of-sand/hardcover/product-rke9jz.html?page=1&pageSize=4. Also, if you can’t subscribe so that you can get members only content, please be sure to share the articles, as well. If you do Subscribe, as well so you can get my articles in your inbox every time. Every little bit helps in the war against Big Tech.
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