First, it's important to know two things; I am a terrible writer. Horrible. If I were a teacher and a high school student turned in one of my articles as an assignment, I wouldn't even give him a C for effort. Better yet, I am even worse as an amatuer musician. I have the rhythym of a coma patient, slow moving and yet spastic fingers and a voice that could peel paint.
Seriously.
Why do I say this? Well, I have always desired to have some sort of talent or ability like writing or playing an instrument. Given my noticeable lake of appreciable talent or skill, I coped by developing friendships with writers, artists and musicians. I figured the cool would seep into me via osmosis.
*NOTE: It didn't work*
But over the course of my life, I have spent a lot of time with these artisans and I have found that with a few notable exceptions, so many of these folks have enormous egos. Not just big but the kind of egos you would want to tether down in a strong wind.
My question to you all is this; in your experience, who has the bigger ego; musicians, writers or artists?
I do want to point out that there have been a few very talented folks who have always been exceptionally gracious and supportive of all of my attempts. As a matter of fact, my closest and longest held friendship is with a writer and musician of tremendous talent. He has always been very kind and encouraging. But he is an exception, not the rule.
So what do you think?
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Comments: 36
I have always found that people who are really good at what they do (with a few exceptions) in any field are fairly confident, but also know how much they need to always get better. So, they are usually gracious and kind. It's the ones who don't have the confidence, no matter how good they are, that act like pompous asses.
I think you need to add asshole into the definition. Then, if I had to choose between asshole writers, asshole musicians or asshole artists, I could definitely say that asshole musicians have the bigger ego.
I know a lot of musicians, some of whom are pretty good. Some have monstrous egos and others are nice people. I think people who have a serious talent in any area run the risk of being emotionally crippled since they have to develop the talent through obsessive practice and are often given special treatment.
http://jcs.biologists.org/cgi/content/full/121/11/1771
Some people like that feeling that they always have something to learn, somewhere to grow...others reject it. Personally, I like people who recognize the limitations of their own knowledge and are always striving to learn.
You hear about them messing up hotel rooms and groupie things.
Have you ever heard that John Steinbeck wrecked a hotel room.
Hey Nick!
Hi Lori.
Can we add and those who spend most of their time hopped up on crack, coke or Meth... the ones on pot are usually too mellow to work their ego trips...
My 2 cents, for what it is worth: When you are putting something so intensely personal out to the world to be critiqued, you have to detach your ego from your "product". Otherwise, it will eat you up - because you take the negative criticism personally.
I don't think it matters what format your art is in - it boils down to the same sensitivity.
My guess is that the assholes are the ones that have not figured this out or have shaky egos. Their defense is to put up a wall of superiority.
As far as your music and writing go - don't let the bastards grind you down...
And you can quote me.
I've known many musicians, some writers, quite a few dancers, and a few artists. (I've also known many great surgeons and a few radio/television celebrities who I think might be seen in the same light.) In my experience, the people with the real talent did not have ego problems; the people who hoped to convince others that they had talent that either wasn't there or they were too lazy to develop were the ones with ego problems.
It may be true that it's mostly people with limited talent who have overinflated egos, but as usual, the world isn't as neat as that. Some real big talents happen to be real big assholes too. I'm not sure that they wouldn't be just as big assholes if they weren't talented, but since they are, everyone will assume the fame has gotten into their heads.
Yeah, Nick. WTF?
Yeah, Nick. WTF?
I wasn't supposed to laugh at that line?
confidence is needed in order to excel however sometimes that achievement can get warped into ego and those people are rather see thru in my eyes and are using their ego to hide the fact that they are no longer going forward in their achievements and are jealous of those that can outshine them so they have to use the ego card as their personalities are lacking.
i'm a very humble person but i'm confident in my art, but don't expect accolades from the art world often. i have had interactions with some very conceited artists over the years and find that their personalities make their art less appealing to me no matter how amazing the art is.
I'm not going to stalk off in high dudgeon, or even low dudgeon, but I'd like to respectfully point out that your article is insulting to artists. I know lots of artists who are not egomaniacs and lots of non artists who are.
charles thiesen - gather's only god, proud to be from gay-supporting Massachusetts, Jan 12, 2009, 10:20pm EST
I'm not exactly sure where you found this to be insulting. We all have egos. Most are in check, some are not. I have found that in the arts, there seems to be a high percentage of over-inflated egos but I certainly did not mean to imply that all artists are ego maniacs. Truth be told, it's not a condition that is only found in the arts. You can find it anywhere. Hell, just look around Gather. This play practically drips with ego.
My point was in asking of the three (Artists, Writers or Musicians), which do you find to have bigger egos. Personally, I have found that the few artists I know are fairly humble about what they do. The musicians I know are generally very kind, humble and willing to share the knowledge they have. A lot of the writers I know are really in love with their own genius. They can be smug and self-centered. But on the flip side, there are some I know who are very kind and very encouraging to other people.
So I apologize if you were insulted. That was not my intent. I just wondered if other people found more huge egos in one or more of the arts.
(I hope I cleared everything up for you.)
People with a special talent often get special treatment. It doesn't affect everyone but it certainly affects some people. The other thing is the Doctor Syndrome. My mom was a nurse. Her theory on doctors' personalities was that because doctors have to spend so many years without time for social interaction--college, medical school, internship, residency--that many don't develop very good social skills. I think it applies to artists too. I know several very talented musicians who aren't bad people but are very shy or very eccentric. If you spend 8 hours a day practicing...
Something to bear in mind, though, one needs self confidence to excel (as CC noted) in any field. Someone successful who is also self-confident is often labeled "difficult" or "egocentric" by those who are less exacting. Getting an objective opinion can be difficult, particularly by others in the same field who might be competing.
And lack of talent or skills, doesn't keep people in all walks of life from being flaming egomaniacs.
And you write wonderfully. Except when you denigrate your undoubted skills.