Tuesday, February 13, 2007

Artist's models

Concerning the reading that dealt with artist's models. I was wondering whether or not the models were valid. But then it occured to me that the models could really apply to any kind of public figure; seeing as though they are so general. Here's a little thought experiment, in which I used the models to describe professional athletes.

Skilled worker: Pedro Martinez
Rule breaker: Mike Tyson
Intellectual: Greg Maddox
Naive Talent: Babe Ruth
Entrepeneur: George Forman
Economic failure: Mike Tyson
Social critic: Mohammed Ali
Social parasite: Barry Bonds
Social healer: Jackie Robinson
Charlattan: Floyd Landis

These models could also be applied to politicians, CEO's, preachers, talk show hosts, etc.

-JP

4 comments:

V said...

Even though I agree with you when you say that stereotypes can be applied to many area of interest, I think it can’t be apply so easily to all fields of study. Yes you managed to fit sports stars into the models described. Actually, in some strange way, sport stars are performers like actors; so are politicians. I would say that all kind public characters could easily fit all the stereotypes mentioned in the text. Inserting names in such vague terms is an empty exercise. Nevertheless, I think that some of those stereotypes are really generalized when people think about artist therefore worth discussion a bit more. The more common I would say are: economic failure and rule breaker; maybe naïve talent… In colloquial terms: hippies, punks and geniuses.

DBrower said...

I think you misspelled 'charlatan'.

It's a snarky characterization in any event, perhaps reflecting incomplete knowledge of the situation surrounding Landis.

My site trust but verify is a good starting point for current information about the case. There are those who might think the charlatans involved work for anti-doping agencies.

TBV

Ron E. said...

Hmmm, interesting analogy, although my total lack of knowledge of sports limits my ability to measure how accurately the stereotypes fit the athletes.

I think the key thing is that these describe the way the people in question are perceived by the culture at large.

this will be demanded said...

Aren't those things more or less folkish typologies of the sort that CG Jung would apply to as a personality type detached from any sort of profession.