At first, when I heard about the "Compliment Machine"--a piece of art on a corner in Washington D.C. that calls out random compliments (e.g., "You are awesome") to passersby--I thought, this really is our culture's narcissism gone too far. But it turns out this may have been the artist's point:
"It's a response to how on kids' soccer teams . . . win or lose, everyone gets a trophy," Greaves explains. Not soccer, specifically, but the saccharine culture in which everyone is special and unique, nobody can be criticized and everyone gets an award.
Some people can't stand that culture, others heartily embrace it, but if you're looking for a normative judgment from the creator of the Compliment Machine, you are looking in the wrong place. The machine is his entire comment.
He won't say if he approves or disapproves of what we've become, but it's hard not to see the meaninglessness of endless, unmerited compliments, randomly dished out, unconnected to any real truth about the recipients. But if this was the artist's point, none of the smiling, complimented people on the street seemed to get it...and what does that say about us?
What if the Compliment Machine had a negative brother down the street named the “Criticism Machine”? When pedestrians pass by it would say, “(ding!) You’re a jerk!” ~ ”You’re too fat to be in public” ~ “You have the face only a mother could love.”
If pedestrians are offended, why would they? Is it because they feel the statements are uncalled for? Is it because they feel they aren’t a jerk, obese or ugly? If they have a problem with that then shouldn’t they also have a problem with the Compliment Machine?
Are they offended when it makes bogus statements like, “You’re a winner” ~ “You make it possible for a brighter tomorrow”? These are uncalled for but will the addressee whine because they feel they aren’t a winner, a revolutionary or beautiful?
If people are offended by the Criticism Machine but are feeling sunny with the Compliment Machine, when both machines are, "unconnected to any real truth about the recipient” then it reveals that we’ve become swollen with pride.
Posted by: Alexis CH- | July 31, 2007 at 08:27 AM
Maybe the artist has given a good idea to all us clueless husbands. Can you imagine the reward of spouting out "You are awesome!" the next time your wife asks you whether a certain pair of pants makes her look too big? Food for thought...
Posted by: Dan F | July 31, 2007 at 09:24 AM
C'mon people. What do you call the art of an artist who won't explain it?
This artist has created audio abstract art.
Posted by: Agilius | July 31, 2007 at 11:45 AM
>>What do you call the art of an artist who won't explain it?
Well actually, he explained exactly what it was about (see the excerpt); he just wouldn't make a moral judgment about it.
Posted by: Amy | August 01, 2007 at 11:28 AM
I find this to be as funny as the machine at the post office thanking me for my business, except that even it is actually responding to an input.
When a machine (without using any inputs or logic in doling out evaluations of a person's worth, looks, actions, etc.) spits out a pre-recorded blurp of sound based simply on the proximity of something moving, why would anyone (who thinks about it) feel any emotion (regardless of the message)? It's fundamentally different than a person standing on the corner saying, "hey, I like your outfit!", or "wow, you smell great!".
Posted by: Paul A | August 03, 2007 at 11:41 AM