I am part of a few different online forums, some showing my identity and some of which I’m anonymous. It took me a while before I realized how much easier it is to post anonymously. 

First of all, if I do say so myself, I think I’m a lot funnier. I don’t know why that is. I guess it’s because I don’t care what people think. Wouldn’t that be something to live in a world where you didn’t give a shit? 

I think I’m starting to reach that age when that is about to happen. I may need a few more years to settle into the idea, but I’ve noticed that older people can get away with it better. When someone asks something of you, and you don’t feel like doing it, you can just say, “No. That sounds awful.” Whereas, if I said that now, I think other people might find that unacceptable. 

I don’t like that word: unacceptable. My mother used to say that to me when she didn’t approve of how I looked. If I wore something she didn’t like or gained too much weight, she’d say it was “unacceptable.” Jeez, what pressure. It’s unacceptable to have someone say that to you all the time!

Anyway, I recently posted something in an art forum about having unpopular opinions. That was a lot of fun because I’m anonymous there. But since I’m starting not to care what people might think of me anymore, here’s a look at what I posted:

Unpopular Art Opinions by Carol Es

• Any art in the right context is art if the artist says it is. This includes a crusty booger sitting in the middle of the gallery.
• No censorship, ever. That means the vilest of things, even crap that would make me throw up into a cup. 
• Great artists suffer, even if they make it all look easy.
• I do not like elitists that think realism is the only kind of “true” art.
• I think people who hate abstract art just don’t understand anything about it and don’t know their art history, especially post WWII contemporary movements. (How’s that for elitist?)
• People who trace references are NOT “cheating!” Norman Rockwell, Disney, and everyone else you think is impressive did the same goddamn thing.
• People who steal other people’s art should serve jail time.
• Sometimes, the emotional effect, beauty, and/or impact of art is way more important than technical skill or craftsmanship.
• Artists should be helped and encouraged and never discouraged, even if they suck.
• Artists are born, not made, but if you don’t work hard, you probably can’t be a great one.
• Bad art exists when you have nothing left to give anyone.
• Without art, people would cease to be civilized. 
• There is no such thing as time.

…Okay, maybe all of the above is not so very unpopular, but I got some shit for a few of these things. I don’t care, though. I’ve been working on radical acceptance.