The Paradox of the Artistic Mindset and Compromise

Creating art without compromise is highly virtuous. As James Joyce intended when writing Ulysses, art without compromise means it is for that “one person” out there who will be saved by it. The more niche, the more unique, the more awe striking when one resonates with it. However, in order to reach that “one person,” some exposure is necessary, and exposure is more easily fulfilled by conforming to the trends and algorithms of the platform of the artist’s choice. That requires compromising the pure state of the craft, to something that is more accessible for the layman, something more “pop” so to speak. When the craft reaches that “one person” in that state, it is no longer as powerful as what the craft would have been in pure form.

Solution: Create as much as you can without compromise. Quality is important, but one can never tell what quality truly is without quantity. Output, output, output, and when ideas are not coming, rest, reflect, input, and then output again. Do not be bothered by exposure, comparisons, numbers, or anything that is not about one’s craft. Just make sure to keep producing as much as possible, for as long as possible.

“All I must do, is take care of the music, even if I do it in a closet” - Bill Evans