Planet of the Arts Volume 7 Issue 3 — . From An Ex-Emuly: On Account: " pseudo-tilm review On account of my recent awareness of journalistic accountability (see ‘On Accountability’), it occurred to me that what was at issue was perhaps beyond my obvious ignorance of journalistic and general conven- tions. Specifically, I began to think about accountability inour society: doesitexist? And then, I went to see a film. In an obvious way, in the various roles we all play we are held accountable: If you're late with an assignment, it affects your standing (rumour); if you are late for work, you get fired (reality); and if, while riding your bike, you smash into someone’s car, you pay through the nose (in more ways than one.) But what if you live and work ina place where you were ‘insignificant?’ Really, you were just a ‘cog-in-a-machine’ doing your thing: Is it merely the scale of things that seems to remove you from accountability? Is the axiom ‘big things don’t work’ perhaps then true, and since we can’t shrink our society, should we resign ourselves to accepting the ‘problems’ associated with the big institutions which comprise soci- ety? Maybe the hyper-reality of films can help... Why did Jack Lucas in Terry Gilliam’s The Fisher King seem to have such a hang up on how his actions influ- enced events in Perry's life? As Lucas screamed to the comatose and paradoxically indifferent Perry “...I’m not responsible...” and to be sure, he wasn’t directly re- sponsible. But somehow, Lucas felt that he was being held accountable for his radio talk-show actions and was, subsequently being punished for the state of Perry’s life. Thankfully, this character didnot subscribe too heavily to the notion of a ‘benign God’ deftly dishing out justice: if there is such a thing as accountability, I don’t think we need a broker to determine where it should be applied. The creation of another level of authority as manifest in a God has already proven to be an effective means for countless questionable souls avoiding accountability. My simplistic yet much-simplified interpretation of The Fisher King: It is a film about the redemption of a man who overcomes his extraordinary indifference to humanity viahis re-acquisition of compassion. The point: perhaps it once was true and still is true that the larger corporations and institutions which operate within our society contribute greatly to our individual anonymity. Perhaps itis also still true that the economic system of our society itself facilitates the remoteness we express (or rather don’t) and the indifference to others this seems to lead to. But still, compassionless dispositions are a per- sonal choice however curiously informed... Director/ writer Gilliam aptly depicts our society as a place where the physical space between us is diminishing (you can’t avoid homeless people any more) while the emotional space between us increasing (but you can still ignore homeless people) and the ease with which we dismiss On Accountability == I suppose there have always been hidden pressures put upon the Foundation Department. Pressure from students entering Emily Carr who have a definite discipline they wish to pursue and who feel Foundation should be geared to that pursuit. Pressure from the other departments of Emily who wish to see students entering second year “better equipped’ or focused in their major of choice. Pressure from the sheer size of the Foundation student body and the finite facilities with which to investigate a broad array of disciplines. With the great news that the construction and thus the expansion and reunion of Emily Carr will soon be realized, I imagine that along with the physical changes there will be curriculum changes. Each department will be examining where they are now and where they would like to be. For Foundation, this must be a difficult task, given the nature of their mandate: affording students the opportunity to experience various media in an iconoclastic survey of individual andcollective culture. The specificity of other departments perhaps makes their each other is augmented by our cellular phones, our I had the pleasure of recently learning something new. Not that this occurrence is something rare, but sometimes, sledgehammer realizations tend to catch even my diffuse attention. Actually, what I ‘learnt’ was not particularly pleasant: it demon- strated once again actually how ignorant I generally am. To know how little you know can be a powerful force of fear, which keeps you shut up until the ‘magic’ day when you know enough about anything to say so. I'll give it a try anyway. It has been vividly pointed out to me that an article ‘Industrial Design...’ I submitted to the last issue of The Planet was greatly offensive. This I had hoped. Unfortunately, the offensive bits were not gleaned from the content of the article, but rather in the manner in which I had included only my initials and particular needs that much more easily defined and subsequently fulfilled. Thus, I’d like to point out the obvious that Foundation is general experience focused on process, not a specialist experience focused on technique. It does not follow that students who spend ‘only’ three years in a chosen major will become more proficient in their discipline by usurping and focusing Foundation year to similar ends. I would be infinitely more shallow than I currently am if I was able to pursue my naive notions and expectations upon entering Emily Carr. Instead, my time in Foundation was packed with experi- ences frequently at odds with my prejudices and designs on life It was this period however, that I began to learn the what, why, how, when : Process. As a respected instructor said to me upon leaving Emily, paraphrased = ‘,.don’t feel bad that you don’t know that much. Remember that your time here (at Emily) is like the kindergarten of (your major.) You learned enough to know that you wish to pursue the process that is your major, and in that pursuit, you will inevitably develop the technique to realize professionalism.’ Planet ofthe Aris Volume 7 Issue 3 — . From An Ex-Emily: On Account: "’ pseudo-film review (On account of my recent awareness of journalistic accountability (see “On Accountability) it occurred to ‘me that what was at issue was perhaps beyond my ‘obvious ignorance of joumalistic and general conven- tions. Specifically, Ibegan to think about accountability nour society: does itexst? And then, I went seeafilm. Than obvious way, inthe various roles we all play we are held accountable: If you're lat with an assignment, itaffeets your standing (rumour; ifyouare late for work, you get ied (reality); andif, while riding your bike, you “Emash into someone's cer, you pay through the nose (in ‘more ways than one.) But what if you live and work ina ‘place where you were ‘nsigifican?” Really, you were {ust a “cogcin-a-machine" doing your thing: Is it merely the scale of things that seems to remove you from sccountabilty? Is the axiom “big things don't work” perhaps then tue, and since we can't shrink our society, should we resign ourselves to accepting the ‘probe ‘associated with the big institutions which comprise oc ‘ey? Maybe the hyper-reality of films can help. ‘Why did Jack Lucasin Terry Giliam’s The Fisher King seem to have such a hang up on how his actions influ- enced events in Perry's life? As Lucas sereamed to the ‘comatose and paradoxically indifferent Pery"..'mnot responsible.” and to be sure, he wasn’t directly re sponsible, But somehow, Less felt that he was being held accountable forhis radio talk-show actions and was, subsequently being punished forthe tate of Perry's life. ‘Thankfully this character didnot subscribe too heavily to the notion of “benign God’ dfly dishing out justice: if there is such a thing as accountability, I don't think we need a broker to determine where it should be appli ‘The ereation of another level of authority as manifest 1 God has already proven to be an effective means for countless questionable souls avoiding accountability. My simplistic yet much-simplified interpretation of The Fisher King: lisa film about te redemption of ‘man who overcomes his extraordinary indifference to ‘humanity viahisre-scquistionof compassion. The pint perhaps it once was true and sill s true thatthe larger ‘corporations and institutions which operate within our society contribute greatly to our individual anonymity. Perhaps itis also stlltuethat the economic system of out society itself facilitates the remoteness we express (or rather don’t) andthe indifference wo others this seems to lead to, But stl, compassionles dispositions area per- sonal choice however curiously informed... Director! ‘writer Gilliam aptly depicts our society asa pace where the physical space between usis diminishing (you can't avoid homeless people any more) while the emotional space between us increasing (but you can still ignore homeless people) andthe ease with which we dismiss cach other is augmented by our cellular phones, our On Accountability I suppose there have always been hidden pressures put upon the Foundation Department. Pressure from students entering Emily Carr who have a definite «discipline they wish o pursue and who fee! Foundation should be geared tothat pursuit. Pressure from the other departments of Emily who wish tosee students, entering second year ‘better equipped’ or focused in their major of choice. Pressure from the sheer size of the Foundation student body and the finite facilities with which to investigate a broad array of disciplines. ‘Wit the great news that the construction and thus the expansion and reunion cf Emily Carr will soon be realized, I imagine that along with the physical changes there wll be curriculum changes. Each department willbe examining ‘where they are now and where they would like tobe. For Foundation, this must bea difficult tsk, given the nature of their mandate: affording students the ‘opportunity toexperience various media in an iconoclastic survey of individual andcollective culture. The specificity of other departments perhapsmakes their had the pleasure of recently learning something new. Not that this occurrence issomething rare, but sometimes, sledgehammer realizations tend to caich even my diffuse attention. Actually, what I ‘learnt’ was not particularly pleasant: it demon- ‘strated once again actually how ignorant I generally am. To know how litile you know ean be a powerful force of fear, which keeps you shut up until the ‘magic? day when you know enough about anything to say so. I'll give it a try anyway Tt has been vividly pointed out to me that an article ‘Industrial Design...’ I ‘submitted to the last issue of The Planet was greatly offensive. This I had hoped. Unfortunately, the offensive bits were not gleaned from the content of the article, but rather in the manner in which I had submiited the article. To the points that I had included only ‘my initials and ppaticular needs that much more easily defined and subsequently fulfilled. ‘Thus, Id like to point out the obvious that Foundation is general experience focused on process, nota specialist experience focused on technique. Idoes not follow that students who spend ‘only’ three years in achosen major will become more proficient in their discipline by usurping and focusing Foundation year to similar ends. I would be infinitely more shallow than I ‘currently am if I was able to pursue my naive notions and expectations upon entering Emily Car. Instead, my time in Foundation was packed with experi- ences frequently at odds with my prejudices and designs on life Iwas this period however, that I began to lear the what, why, how, when Process. Asa respected instructor said to me upon leaving Emily, paraphrased . + don’t feel bad that you don’t know that much. Remember that your timehere (@tEmily)islike the kindergarten of (your major.) You learned enoughto know that you wish to pursue the process that is your major, and in that pursuit, you will inevitably develop the technique to realize professionalism.