One avoids much frustration by remembering that art is also mostly made up of mediocre men, with mediocre inclinations, who learned artistic technique as they would learn to fly a kite or play Sudoku. Thus, the majority distinguish themselves only superficially, when in essence they have nothing superior. So to expect, in each work, the discovery of an extraordinary spirit is simply unreasonable. It is precisely because they are rare that great artists deserve special appreciation.
What Never Fails to Impress…
What never fails to impress is that an extraordinary nature emerges from a barren cradle, rising as if without stimulus and starting from itself, completely overcoming all circumstances. In early cases, the phenomenon borders on the inexplicable. The most frequent occurrence, however, does not fail to impress. In this one, a careful analysis always shows the action of a centripetal force, which with greater or lesser intensity directs, not to say impels, the vocation and the resolution to externalize it. In this way, the process always seems to culminate at a point from which the past becomes strange but justified, although the origin of such a decisive motivation remains a mystery.
It Is Notorious That the So-Called…
It is notorious that the so-called temperamental predispositions are almost always anchored in experience, thus removing much of the meaning they seem to suggest. Much of what psychology says about environmental conditioning and its long-term impacts is definitely true, and it is indisputable that the environment interferes and shapes, its effect being proportional to the exposure time and intensity of the contact. Thus, whether we like it or not, we carry something with us from it, and precisely for this reason, distancing ourselves from it is fundamental in case this something inclines to the undesirable. Blocking oneself and creating psychological barriers to avoid its influence is possible and, in extreme cases, indispensable; but an experience, even if it bears fruit, cannot, no matter how much one may wish, simply be erased.
From the Point of View of Character Formation…
From the point of view of character formation, it is curious to note how the facilities, so desired, are almost always useless and, if available in great quantity, certainly harmful. When we notice the deep scars that hide behind a great character, we have to surrender to this late but perennial beauty that comes from them. It seems irrational to yearn for hardships; however, when we turn our eyes to the past, we must recognize that nothing like them can transform for the better.