Outrage Introspective

Medium: Glitch Drawing sublimated on brushed aluminum

Description: My thoughts while creating this piece revolved around reflections in present day American life. Every day adds more hate crimes, more gaslighting by our elected leaders. The mere idea of sitting down and talking to someone to reach an understanding solicits mockery. An idea of creating a better, more just and fair world brings down a storm of name-calling and ad hominem. The outrage that comes in response to reason has baffled me, troubled me, frustrated me and continues to do so. One risks being publicly crucified for believing everyone should have the right to pursue higher education no matter their economic capabilities. One risks being called a generic “socialist” when their family is suffering from lack of affordable health care and they ask for help. In a time of a global pandemic we can’t even agree that people shouldn’t lose their health care based on their job status. Real problems we face as a community are delegitimized and denied as even existing because people have lost their ability to empathize with others who are different from them or come from a different background. Anger and hate have summed up recent years and the temperature is rising in this echo chamber we call Earth. When one person speaks up a thousand angry voices drown out the cry for help. If this is the society we so vigilantly defend is it even worth defending? If we live to better only ourselves and not our communities then why should anyone care about the less fortunate? It must be their fault they are poor, hungry, and dying. If this type of thinking prevails over reason, empathy and respect maybe we should all be outraged. But I believe it is more important to understand the fundamental reasons we are all getting so angry, rather than give in to the worst of human emotions without thought or question. This piece, inspired by Native American art (an art style that was nearly lost to history because of senseless violence and conflict), uses this style to express these thoughts. The one in the middle creates waves in the center, hitting the water like a drum with his hammer. All the figures surrounding him become engulfed in rage and attack the one painted red. Only one face on the left looks down at the individual below in dissent. All the others are quick to anger and ready to silence the outlier. Anger is a torch that burns from both ends. It will destroy everything and everyone around it and it will destroy the one whom cannot let go of it.