Imitatio– At the West End Gallery
My rebelliousness went so deep that, faced with a can of asparagus that instructed me to open at this end, I always, stubbornly, opened it at the other.
–Dorothy Gilman, A New Kind of Country (1978)
Wasn’t going to write anything this morning but an old Graham Parker song came on that I hadn’t heard in a long time that made me think about my somewhat contrarian nature. I have never liked being told what I can or cannot do. It becomes a personal challenge to prove that whoever imposed this often arbitrary judgement on me was wrong.
I don’t know if that’s a good or bad thing. If you tell me that it’s bad, I will probably try to find an example that proves you wrong. And if you tell me that it’s good, I would most likely agree but point out the many times I have failed while trying to disprove the judgements of others. Faced with any rule, I try ways to bend it or make it fit my way of doing things.
This might be viewed as a personality flaw. It doesn’t necessarily make for a good employee, team member or friend. But it does sometimes serve a purpose, especially as an artist. It makes you push yourself when you might not have pushed yourself otherwise. It helps you determine your true limitations and strengths. It drives change and growth.
So, maybe it’s good?
I don’t know. And honestly, I don’t care. And that’s only because if I did care, that would make me a conformist. And the contrarian part of me won’t allow that.
This was all just an excuse to get to the Graham Parker song. This is from his1976 album, Howlin’ Wind which I think I had on 8-track. Man, the world has changed! But this song still works pretty well. This is Not If It Pleases Me. Give a listen if it please you.
Redtree Times 