Approximately one gajillion years back, my dad wanted me to be a HAM radio operator. For those of you who aren't familiar with this, HAM enthusiasts are amateur broadcast radio operators, and a lot more. Which may not seem all that interesting, but consider; these people send clandestine news out of war zones, coordinate disaster relief and spot tornadoes. Plus, when the instant communication we now have with cell phones was science fiction for most of us, HAM operators were driving and talking to anyone with a phone, walking around with portable radios that could do the same thing, and futzing around with their own TV stations.
They also get to talk with astronauts.
So. Actually pretty interesting.
But. There's a steep learning curve. You have to learn how to control telecommunications hardware, and you have to learn how and why it works.
Lots of theory and diagrams.
Which is how I learned about transistors.
Which are in virtually everything you own that sucks electrons. Phones, cars, computers, TVs, games, and so on.
They stopped writing "Transistor" on everything decades back, but not because they went away. More like... They were just assumed, after a while.
A transistor is a small bit of hardware that can amplify current and control where that current goes next. It's kind of a switch... That can give things power.
And I mention that because?
Because I think that it's a perfect metaphor for the role of any creative person within any society. Amplifying certain things, directing attention to and away from others.
Not necessarily by preaching. Not even by intent. Just by doing our thing, we filter our work through our sensibilities. And it goes out as and where those sensibilities lead us to direct it.
Sometimes it's political, or social commentary, or a personal exploration of the common condition... Sometimes it's unclassifiable; suis generis.
But always, it's amplifying and switching.
Okay. And that's important why?
Glad you asked.
Because my virtual voice reaches a lot of artists. A lot of creatives who, just now, are pretty agitated.
Pissed off about who won the election-or lost it. Worried about their futures and those of their friends.
With, I think, some justification.
And I'm worried that there's going to be a lot of well meaning, but misdirected crusading. A lot of trying to shout the monsters down.
I write about monsters. That's not how monsters work.
And I'm fairly certain that's not how creatives, how artists work best.
We need to amplify and direct. We need to dream up performances and challenges that entertain and educate and direct attention where needed.
Protest songs, think pieces, acts of expressive public rage, transformed.
Find the weak spots, crawl under the thin skin and make those who would repress us and force us backwards understand that they cannot.
Marching, letters, phone calls? They have their place. They can be very effective. If they're kept up. If the pressure is maintained.
But people have a tendency to lose that fire. To become complacent, and tired. To lose patience and focus. To lose inspiration.
Which we should provide. By amplifying this energy and helping to focus and direct it. By functioning as transistors.
