UNATTAINABLE ASPIRATIONS

Under social mob/media pressure Old Navy, the store of cheap-o, recycled "hipness" in crappy consumerism, has removed a line of T-shirts with a crossed out "Artist" tag line, replaced by a  so-called respectable pie-in-the-sky profession like president or astronaut. If they had just set their sights a little lower to a career in janitorial services or bookkeeping, I would've been completely on board with the message. The last thing the world needs is more artists. But the same could be said for astronauts and presidents.

    Artists (and I'm one of them) are pretty much boils on the ass of society. We poke and prod and irritate whomever and however we can. We're not like those pro cats who show in galleries and museums and have interns and bank accounts and are appreciated. No. The kind of artist you will most likely become, if you were to wear a toddler shirt celebrating the "art career", is one like me- a soldier in the trenches. You will be perceived as a worthless waste of space in a world much more difficult than it is today. By comparison I've had it easy. Today's toddler will inherit a world of fucked up weather, terrorism, sociopathic politicians........just like today, only more so. The fact that I made it this far, with my cred. in tact, surprises me as much as it does you.

So to Old Navy I say shame on you for pulling those t-shirts. Fucking facebook has deluded everyone into thinking that posting what you had for dinner, the view out your window or your ass-selfie makes you an artist. Art is serious business and should not be entered into lightly by dilettante toddlers with time on their hands. My idea for a t-shirt: AN ASPIRING MURDERER. Then cross out murderer and scrawl in cop. Lets keep it realistic.