Generation Z Artists

Chapter 270 Fang's Philosophy
III. Fang's Philosophy

I've been on a crazy roadshow lately.

During my journey, I saw so many female fans—some lovely, some mature, some warm, some kind—waiting in any place where they might see me, just to shout a word to me or tell me something.

"Star River, you made an absolutely fantastic movie!"

I didn't know how to express my gratitude, so most of the time I just smiled and nodded, occasionally letting my emotions show by saying, "Thank you, I love you all."

They told me that my first film as action director and second male lead, "Hero," was flawless.

However, male movie fans are different; they are more rational and more willing to ask questions with specific meaning.

There is a question that shakes my soul and soothes my body and mind.

"SR, is the ending of the movie a fulfillment of your Eastern philosophy?"

I solemnly replied to him: "No, that's Fang's philosophy, a personal experience that I'm not yet sure is correct or not."

Yes, I have developed my own personal philosophical system.

Perhaps it is too early to call it a system.

But my thinking has long been enough to form an internalized support, which is also the foundation of the charm of my words and deeds, far surpassing my appearance as my greatest asset.

Philosophy, that's another difficult topic.

First, what is the essence of philosophy?
For me, it is an effort to construct a worldview, an exploration without preconceived notions, a critical reflection, and a systematic inquiry into fundamental questions.

When I was very young, I had to face that malice on my own and keep thinking about why.

This is not a happy life. Finding the answers to those questions doesn't make me happy, such as why my father freely abandoned us. The truth and the profound reasons behind it bring intense pain, like a grinding wheel polishing my heart.

For example, why do I generate intense controversy wherever I go?
I live forever under all sorts of strange gazes. Perhaps my intense love and hate have hurt the outside world, so the outside world reacts to me in a reactive way. But it doesn't matter, it really doesn't matter. This is the freedom that you and I each possess.

For me, the fundamental task of life is to find a suitable and enjoyable way of life that belongs to me.

I write, play sports, act, and make movies because I can't determine whether it's better to focus intently on one thing or to try many things in a haphazard way.

From a purely experiential perspective, I still find making movies to be the most enjoyable thing for me.

Whether it was the arduous process of facing the unknown during filming, or the anxious feeling of waiting for feedback after the film's release, it was all so fulfilling.

What will be the final box office figure for "Hero"?

What will be the final evaluation of Prince Yu?
How do people who love me view my efforts?

How will those who hate me launch their attacks?

The outcome of everything is unknown. I can't be as certain as if I'd won the NBA championship. The uncontrollability of art leads to the uncontrollability of emotions, which in turn brings a strong expectation for life and the future.

This is Fang's first philosophical principle: to discover one's own boundaries through trial and error during the youth stage, which is full of possibilities and encourages experimentation.

What I can do and what I should do are not dictated by anyone, nor are they influenced by anyone.

The attacks, accusations, blame, and ridicule directed at me are like the wind blowing across the Himalayas. Perhaps you can cause occasional avalanches, but the glaciers that formed tens of thousands of years ago are still there, and the mountains are still there.

That's arrogant, and you often criticize me for being arrogant.

This is Fang's second philosophical principle: to form self-understanding through various kinds of knowledge and thinking, to establish continuous exploration and reflection as a way of life, and to maintain curiosity while avoiding arrogance born of knowledge.

I've done a good job in that regard too.

My arrogance stems not from the amount of knowledge I possess, nor from the unwavering belief that I am on the absolutely correct path, but from the unwavering belief that I can turn back at any point in time and return to the relatively correct path.

Compared to what?
Compared to you.

Critics, led by Turan and Peter, when you attack me on the grounds of destiny, consciousness, and freedom, I cannot help but feel arrogant.

Because all these fallacies are so obvious, you have betrayed your destiny, abused ideology, and wielded the double standard of freedom, staging a farcical comedy in front of the people of the world.

I will not be harmed in the slightest by this. On the contrary, I am happy to take this opportunity to show that I am different from you and to be a good role model for teenagers all over the world.

You are so ridiculous, but I still have to kindly offer this advice: never let this cause you to have any self-doubt or self-criticism.

This is Fang's third philosophical principle: If you cannot clearly and firmly determine your self-understanding, then at least determine what you dislike or are not suitable for, and you will not fall into self-denial and doubt because of it.

Every time you realize that something is not suitable to do, it is a huge victory on your life's journey.

Look, Mr. Turan, this time I've confirmed for you that you're not suited to criticizing anyone from a higher dimension than film, in that self-proclaimed profound way.

Your knowledge structure, academic literacy, and daily accumulation are insufficient to perform such advanced operations. Misusing those seemingly powerful but actually incomprehensible terms will only make you look like a monkey trying to imitate humans.

Who will applaud you?

Even dumber monkeys.

Meanwhile, the humans outside the fence were laughing heartily, ready to pull out the fruit from their pockets at any moment...

By the way, Mr. Turan, do you like bananas?

It's okay if you don't like the food. People don't have to be different from others, much less the same as everyone else. The same goes for monkeys.

Fang's fourth philosophical principle: to form a stable and restrained behavioral habit and lifestyle, and to do one's best to resist external noise and questioning.

I still have a long way to go in this regard, because I am never restrained enough.

Of course I understand the necessity of restraint, but I always think: when I grow up and reach the age of 25, no one will treat me like a child anymore. If I continue to be willful and reckless at that time, it will really be unacceptable.

But I really enjoy the feeling of being willful and reckless, so what should I do?
Of course, we should take advantage of the fact that we are still minors and go all out.

Anyway, no matter how harsh my insults are, you guys won't dare to argue with me, right?

This is Fang's fifth philosophical principle: Do the right thing at the right age and make good use of every moment.

Even if it's just taking advantage of your age to scold people or laugh at monkeys, as long as you're happy, it's not a wasted time.

If you can maintain peace of mind in the present moment and avoid falling into repeated regret and remorse in the future, then every moment is worthwhile and nothing you do can be considered a mistake.

Getting trapped in anxiety and frustration, unable to pull myself out, is the most wasteful way I can imagine to live.

So don't be anxious, Mr. Turan, Director Peter, Senator Sean, Professor Chen... It's perfectly normal that you can't win an argument with me, don't take it to heart.

Because you are not healthy enough.

People with sufficient knowledge lack sufficient literary cultivation;

People with sufficient literary cultivation lack the corresponding knowledge;

People with both knowledge and literary cultivation lack the appropriate mindset; they are driven by short-term gains and speak out for money.

I know that the popularity of "Hero" has affected the interests of many people, but you obviously don't know what price you have to pay for standing against me because of your interests.

You're making all these assessments, thinking you can damage my reputation and weaken the ticket market for "Hero" through this collective voice. It seems clever, but it's actually extremely short-sighted.

Shrewdness is actually a synonym for pragmatism and impatience. Its premise is to give up the right to think and choose independently, and to define self-worth in a conventional and conformist way.

Of all the film critics who criticized me, a total of 123 mentioned ideology, 96 of whom upgraded it to "an overreaching cultural performance," and 79 extended it to the American values ​​of freedom, democracy, and prosperity.

You are so eager to cater to mainstream values, to please readers, and to gain fame and position, but you understand neither Chinese consciousness nor American freedom. You are a joke from beginning to end.

Talking to a bunch of trash like you who lack stable self-identity and are impatient and short-sighted is as boring as dunking on Shaquille O'Neal.

The fact that Fang's philosophy is being used to criticize you bunch of scum for the first time will greatly diminish the value of this article.

You should be grateful that, if it weren't for my responsibility for the box office and reputation of "Hero," most of you would never have had the chance to talk to me, let alone be scolded by me.

This is also an honor. When I am forever recorded in history, your names will also have an immortal aftertaste and will be passed down forever.

Answer me loudly, do you like it?
I hope to hear the answer that you don't like me, but you like my Fang-style philosophy.

The cultural DNA of the American people is a fragmented, chaotic, contradictory, and self-contradictory legacy of history. You achieved a degree of equality through struggle, but the complex reality fraught with multiple paradoxes does not provide you with a spiritual foundation to guide your actions. The perpetual tension between freedom and equality lies in the truth the media will never tell you—

Freedom based on power inevitably leads to unequal outcomes, and unequal resources and capabilities, in turn, erode the real ability of some people to achieve freedom.

American society has always oscillated violently between these two core values, never finding a perfect balance.

The guidance I can offer you is precisely the inner peace sought through Fang's philosophy.

The boundaries between the individual and the collective, the gap between ideals and reality, the interplay between civic religion and ideological tools... all these will profoundly and continuously tear apart American society, punishing the American people who are still immersed in their glorious power and arrogance.

I don't gloat over this; I just think pessimistically and with pity: Why did this happen?

Because action always outweighs thought, but thought guides action, you must immediately change your hasty and short-sighted approach of acting first and thinking later, and spend more time summarizing and reflecting.

This is Fang's sixth philosophical principle: Unity of knowledge and action (in Chinese).

[IV. Pigs, Dogs, Cattle, and Sheep in the Art World]

After all that talk, we still have to get back to the movie. "Hero" is the root cause of everything that's happening now.

As a self-proclaimed philosopher, I love the freedom of art. The art world is the least hypocritical field, where everyone's work will naturally be true to their heart and reflect their deepest nature.

The most beautiful thing about art is that it can release the animalistic instincts within us at the lowest cost, and then cause varying degrees of harm to the real world or heal some past wounds.

Hero, as expected, hurt some people, but also healed many more.

Its impact on reality is greater than I anticipated. Movie fans all over the world are cheering for this film. We have created a magnificent masterpiece.

In my art world, it is undoubtedly number one.

why?
I think it must be because of the universality of film. It doesn't require words or language. Once you understand the visuals, you are naturally immersed in my artistic world.

My art world is not unique; it is interconnected with the world of all artists worldwide.

However, artists also vary in quality. Some languish in the mud, competing with bedbugs for food; some float high in the sky, oblivious to the suffering of the people; and some walk peacefully and simply on the earth, striving to change the world.

In this world of art, there are no humans—at least not the kind of humans that are conventionally human—only animals of all kinds, large and small.

Pigs are dirty and lazy in the real world, but they often appear as honest and cute figures in the art world. I guess it's because the pressure in the real world is too heavy, and many creators genuinely envy pigs.

The lifestyle of eating and sleeping, then eating again after waking up, is precious and unattainable in any era and any country.

If you will allow me to make this analogy, then Mr. Turan is like a pig in the art world.

He has an innocent and adorable side, but also a wild and irritable side—a wild boar is still a pig.

He firmly believed in various concepts he didn't understand, and ran wildly toward the feeding trough as driven by the zookeeper. If anyone tried to take away his feed, he would immediately let out a howling sound with red eyes.

Is this kind of stress response something to be angry about?

No, it's cute.

In general, the image of pigs in the art world is mostly that of reckless, irritable, naive, and unthinking "servants." They use their fat bodies as a bargaining chip to obtain sustenance, and they don't think much or only have simple thoughts. Sometimes they appear in a coquettish manner, and sometimes they show a highly aggressive side.

My assessment is: They are an indispensable part of the art world; it is because of them that the world is so lively and bustling.

The image of dogs is highly consistent in both the real world and the art world.

The image of loyalty transcends both realms; they are both the most reliable soldiers for those in power and the only trustworthy partners for ordinary people.

I suddenly remembered Coach Doug.

I know that comparing a person to a dog isn't offensive in American culture, so good dog, Sony Columbia, thank you for everything you did for the release of Heroes.

I also want to thank the stars; my artistic life shines because of you. God has the Pope as his shepherd, and I have you as my sheepdogs, charging into battle for me on the battlefield of idols.

I know some people will criticize my arrogance again, but in my art world, I truly am my own god.

Another indispensable image in the art world is the ox.

In reality, cattle typically exist as important production tools, and together with horses, they account for half of ancient humans' conquest of nature.

In modern society, we have begun to drive even cheaper cattle and horses—white-collar workers in Washington earning $3000 a month, McDonald's workers earning $1500 a month, Mexican illegal immigrants earning $1000 a month and not paying taxes, and slum girls who can be driven into prostitution with just a few painkillers.

Thanks to the tireless efforts of animal protection organizations, since the status of cattle and horses has been elevated, people have more options for survival.

Thanks to the developed American society, you have shown me landscapes I never dared to imagine before, adding valuable and irreplaceable material to my art world.

So what do cattle and horses look like in the art world?

These are probably workers who only have enthusiasm and hard work, but lack real talent.

Those with innate talent dominate the art world. The creations they achieve effortlessly require a lifetime of effort from animals to comprehend—and even then, there's a high probability they still won't grasp them, let alone learn them.

Therefore, the best artists are on the front lines of creation, while the laborers are responsible for the physical work, so that the artists don't have to expend their energy on the trivial execution process.

From this perspective, cattle and horses are more useful than pigs in any world.

—At least cattle and horses are still contributing to the art world, while pigs, while fattening themselves up, point fingers at the real workers and are annoying most of the time.

Besides working oxen and horses, and pigs pretending to be working, there are many other animals in the art world.

A flock of sheep, responsible for contributing their wool.

They eat grass and produce milk, which nourishes all the animals in the creative chain.

Sheep are good, but most of the time they are also stupid—they are herded in flocks by sheepdogs and led by the lead sheep, drifting along with the tide their whole lives, unable to distinguish between good and bad, or black and white.

Unless, of course, they follow a leader that is strong enough in every respect.

I am not the leader.

I lack a sense of responsibility and patience towards a disorganized flock; I prefer to be a king of the mountain, waiting for the lead sheep to lead its flock to offer tribute.

The smartest sheep in the flock have already been doing this, and leaders have already emerged in the world's large and small Starry Sky organizations.

Together with my dog, they are leading this group to take over more and more grasslands.

I don't care which lead sheep gets fatter because of this, but I want to warn all the sheep: you are following the tiger that sits on the mountain, not the sheepdog, and certainly not the lead sheep.

Such metaphors have begun to carry a strong offensive connotation, but those who love me are already used to it, and those who hate me need not care. I am just that fearless, making people both afraid and disliked.

In this artistic world that belongs to me, the sun shines brightly in the sky, and there is only grassland on the ground, which is empty and desolate.

However, the sheep had already spread all over the mountains and fields, the cattle and horses were working diligently, the dogs were frolicking around the mountaintop, and on the outside there was a pack of jackals, drooling over everything I owned.

Wolves want to eat my sheep, tigers want to take over my mountain, hyenas drool over the pig feed, and crows hop around on the branches, cawing noisily—only they are the most innocent, with no interests of their own, simply wanting to watch my spectacle.

This is a nascent but vibrant world.

When I climbed that mountain alone and let out my first long howl at the summit, everything was already inevitable.

What will this world eventually become?
I do not know.

If "Azure Night Snow" is the first snowfield in this world, then "Hero" is the first sea in this world.

I hope it is big and deep enough to hold my ambitions and allow me to reap a good catch.

In this way, pigs have oil and fat, sheep have fodder, cows have energy, and dogs have work.

As for those jackals, wolves, tigers, and leopards, I will suppress them with all my might. Once they have shed enough blood, they will naturally no longer dare to bark at me.

Huh? Is this really the world of art?
No, this is the animal world.

【end】

(End of this chapter)