The Logic Off Topic list

> The problem I have with the artist I mentioned is that his art does
> nothing to bring mankind to a greater awareness, or awakening, or
> uplifting. Art should do that. Originally, IMHO, that was how Art
> started. To inspire, instill awe...

Eminem, and all commercial music, is not about art. It's about selling a
product, and he's done very well with that. In a society where ignorance is
becoming a virtue, it is not surprising that something like Eminem's
products would sell so well.

As you have probably already noticed, the music industry is moving away from
any pretense of creating art. I recently read a blurb somewhere from someone
in a new cookie-cutter teen pop girl group who, upon completion of her first
album, spoke of how proud she was of her "product". She used the word
several times, obviously making no claim to being an artist.

What is truly laughable are the people who try to make Eminem out to be so
much more than what he is. I see phrases like "poet of the new generation"
and "speaking to the disenfranchised" tossed around all the time, usually by
critics trying desperately to show that they're hip because they pretend to
like the stuff. If people honestly believe that this is serious art (and
even Eminem himself has said that it isn't), then that's all the proof you
need that western civilization is in serious decline. Anyone who writes
stuff like "I'm Slim Shady/The real Slim Shady/All you other Slim Shadys/Are
just imitaties" and gets hailed as a poet is laughing all the way to the
bank.

Anyway... although we use Logic for creating art, Emagic sells it to make
money. One can't fault them for using the success of a product made with
Logic to promote it.