Rent, for my opinion was well balancing and express in unique way. In Term of the thesis, at lease hit my and fit well. I like this movie because, there were meaning of life into it. I am able to pick their through easier and understand by the expression of music without straight talk. I think a lot about life of others with love, justice and unify. Well, I would say I might have some words they said but I can feel their passion as human being. It was really miracle to know deby feel inspire song and able to survive from sickness. You can find the point of this movie depending on what do want to look at it. For me it was the friendship and willing to left other up.
Ok I’m guessing I will most likely have the longest post on this subject being that it was I that was a little more outspoken on this topic in class. Not because I feel more passionate about it than any other topic we have addressed (actually far from it). In fact I didn’t think I would have much to say about it at all when the movie ended. I didn’t notice anything majorly controversial in the film but maybe it was the way the movie was written and the broad range of topics it contained. It was more subtle and I was thinking more about the overall topic of the bohemian life style rather than the individual, more controversial subjects like homosexuality, drug abuse, free love etc. It didn’t excite my emotions nearly as much as some of the other films we have seen. But for some reason I got interested in a few of the topics during the class discussion.
1st. The controversy discussed in class and going on in the art space scene seems to be partly because the system is being abused. Probably by those who are more interested in being lazy and occasionally throwing a few cans of paint against a canvas and calling it art (I know I’m exaggerating but you get the point). Why should those of us, who aren’t involved in “art”, be obligated to pay for their living expenses? Don’t get me wrong I am actually a fan of the art space concept and somewhat jealous of those who have a natural (God given) talent for creativity and have found a way to pursue that lifestyle without being hindered by the daily grind, but is it right and where is the line? Take for instance the example used in class about the bottle of piss with a cross in it. I believe in Jesus Christ as my savior and shouldn’t have to fund a piece of art work that mocks him. Neither should a believer in atheism have to fund the construction of a statue of Jesus. So where do we draw the line between who gets a free ride and who doesn’t. As I said in class I believe everybody has a desire for the bohemian type lifestyle, to the extent that creativity exists in all of us in some form. We could all probably say that it would be nice for someone else to fund the pursuit of our passions. I think the answer is that we all need to make our own way with the occasional help from those with the power to do so, and stop dodging responsibility and accountability. In other words do our best to provide for our own success and take the help when needed. Not abuse the system, become dependant and lazy. I know that everybody needs and deserves a freebee or help from time to time but to think that just because a person was born with more of a creative drive or a certain talent that somehow they deserve free room and board (“RENT”) is unfair to say the least (especially when a lot of them come from wealthy families that put them through art school to develop these talents in the first place). In some ways it can conversely be compared to the vile belief that simply because a person is born with a birth defect, different skin color or in the wrong place they deserve to be persecuted. A line needs to be drawn somewhere. That is where I see the controversy in this aspect of the bohemian belief. I do however love the idea of being able to do exactly what you love day to day and I do think it’s possible, if the effort is made and the planning for it is an element.
2nd. Am I wrong when I say that I could have sworn I heard the instructor say “isn’t it true that there really is no past or future, only the present?” or something very similar? Obviously I disagree. I get the concept of that statement and think it’s helpful but only if it’s meant to mean we shouldn’t dwell on or live only in the past or only for the future. To literally think that the past or the future are of less value than the exact moment we are living in is ridiculous. Sorry to rehash some of the same stuff that was said in class but I thought I might be able to explain my position a little better in writing. In my opinion, living only for the moment or with the mentality that if it feels good do it is not the best way to approach life on a day to day basis. I’ve lived that way before, and to its extreme. I actually never expected to live as long as I have (but guess what, I am still here) and that is partly what fueled the fire. I must admit though I still love the occasional crazy idea of doing something just because it feels good. But for the most part I think this idea is perpetuated by those who want to dodge responsibility and accountability every day or that don’t have a love for things long term. Why plant a tree if you’re so worried that you could die tomorrow and never get the chance to enjoy its beauty. So what, plant it any ways, not only will you most likely be able to enjoy it tomorrow but the next generation will too. I personally would rather live as if there is a tomorrow, learning from the past and planning for those choice moments that will inevitably come along. Especially if we plan for them. Of course there’s no guarantee that tomorrow will come but as I said in class living life as if there is no future creates less of a possibility that you will have one at all or be able to enjoy it if it does come(and probably will).
Part of the beauty of life on a day to day basis is that you CAN learn from the past Savor the moment and plan for the future each day. Sleep, then repeat again making changes as needed or not. The past present and future DO exist. The choice is deciding where you want to live the most. To not think about, learn from or enjoy the past is to neglect a valuable piece of the overall human experience. Stay there to long and you can’t enjoy the present or plan for the future. The same is true for living only for the future, if you dwell on this only, you can’t enjoy the moment, be spontaneous or enjoy and learn from the past. There needs to be a balance and not denial about the realities of life. I’ve heard it said live today as if it were your last. Come on, really, I mean the concept is great and I’m sure to most it’s just a figure of speech, but there are some that take that saying literal. If we were all living today as if it were our last day on this planet it probably would be all of our last day on this planet (anarchy) because nearly nobody would show up to work,(Doctors, Policemen, Firemen, Plumbers etc.) Most of us wouldn’t bother paying our bills, taking out our trash, showering, brushing our teeth, feeding our animals, maintaining our homes etc. These are the things most of us do to ensure that we have a tomorrow and one worth living, on a planet that will most likely be here tomorrow. If today was all of our last day on this planet, I’m betting almost all of us would either go to each and every one we love, hang out with them or do a bunch of crazy stuff that would probably end up killing us before the day was over anyway like, consuming large amounts of drugs, alcohol and having sex with a hundred strangers (which could get you killed by their other partner). The reality is that most of us living a safe country have a much higher probability of being here tomorrow than not. Unless you happen to be terminally ill, very old or have some other reason to think you could be gone tomorrow (living in a war zone). To me it’s almost like a scare tactic to convince us that we only need to live for the moment because that’s all we have. I don’t buy it. But as I said before I think we all need spontaneity and momentary pleasures. However I think it’s better to focus on being a well rounded person. A saying I’ve heard in the past that I love goes something like this, learn from the past, savor the present and prepare for the future. Enough said.
At first I thought that the movie Rent was very boring and slow. I am not very much into musicals movies at all. When the movie was over and before our little discussion in class, I did not see any controversial in the movie at all, all that I saw was a movie about Bohemian lifestyle. But during our discussion after the movie was done I did notice that there were a lot of art types in the show and also controversies of gay, lesbian and HIV.
Anyway, Bohemian to me reminds me a lot of Hippie people, of course there are some differences between the two, but when comes to a living they seem exactly the same. I can not comprehend how come some of these people can live voluntary in poverty which they call free, they have no jobs, and the only way to make money is from art. I can not live that kind of life because I feel that I have responsibilities in my life I have a daughter to take care of it and I would not want my daughter to live on those kind circumstances. Also because I do live different than them I feel that it is not fair to me and others that decide to live like me to work our butts off and then see the other side just taking living from our taxes, no matter what other might say someone still will have to pay for these people to live like that.
Like others post about the movie, at first I saw no controversy and it turned out it was my own ignorance about musicals (which I can’t stand) that created a veil of ignorance. The discussion was good in this case because it stirred up a lot of hidden emotion in people about “living in the moment”. The idea of living for today and not focusing on the future can be dangerous if you don’t take into account people around you and how it could affect them.
For example, if you’re living with HIV and are aware you are infected it is not the greatest idea to have a bunch of unprotected sex with whomever you choose. If you want to live for the moment and choose not to factor in consequences of your choices it will lead to your demise. But on the other hand there is always room for being spontaneous and having a child-like (not childish) outlook about things. I would be lying if I said I’m not jealous of any artist that is privileged enough to not work and have absolute time to focus on their work.
Being an artist myself I almost feel I was born to create things and it kills me inside to know I don’t have enough time in a day between work, school, homework, eating and sleeping to actually designate proper time to express my emotions the only way I know how. In that light I do wish I could say “FUCK IT ALL” and live the bohemian life style. And on the topic of selling out I believe Sara expressed it best when she said that making money is just a way for a lot of people to do what they really want and when I’m well off I will go back to my roots and let out many years of suppressed expression.
The whole idea of a free lifestyle is an idea that sounds great when you talk about it. It seems so open and loving, but just like in the movie, it hurts other people. The man who was a bohemian, but is now running them out, to me was not a mean guy at all. He had let them live there for a long time for free, and he needs to pay the bills just like everyone else. Well the bohemian idea is no bills, no money, just freedom and love. I think however, that this idea would never be possible if it were not for how advanced we are now days, so capitilism must be present. People back in the day would not be able to live like this, if they did they would die, because they would not grow their own crops, or do anything and eventually die. Plus in the movie I see them eating chips, and soda and drinks. Are these not money making companies who are creating this product for people to buy for MONEY???? The whole bohemian lifestyle in my opinion is unable to exist. There must be a balance between socially acceptable behaviors and those you can do at your own time and place. It is a an idea that sounds so great and awesome when we talk or think about it, but we do not realize that this mindset, would stop the progress of humanity. It could make relationships stronger which would be a great benefit, but how come the lifestyle has to come with the loving relationships? I find it very possible for people to incorporate the main concepts of bohemianism into a normal socially acceptable lifestyle.
Interesting movie. I have to say that overall I don't really agree with the bohemian lifestyle 100%. That is not to say that I don't agree with some of it, because I do. I just think part of bohemianism is selfish. I understand not wanting to sell out and become completely corporate America but at the same time sometimes that is all we can do to get what we want. I have a sort of dead end job that is not what I want to do but it is the means to justify the ends of what I want to do. For someone to say I want everyone else to give me grants and free money while I sit around and produce art that won't sell is unfair. I love doing art, I have done it my entire life. I am not very good and I know that so I have found something else that uses my talents but also pays the bills.
I think if you are showing promise has a good young artist then you can receive a grant and begin to produce your art but you must learn to become self independent shortly after that or else you better be looking at other career options.
Sadly in this day and age, not all dreams come true and we can't be living in a fairy tale forever. We all have to give up something to get somewhere. I know this as much as anyone.
It is a interesting topic and like most topics in this class has more then one side to it. Grants and free living can help someone up to some point but we need to know when to draw the line and say enough is enough.
Rent: After going to the links and seeing the movie, I really wasn't clear on the message or the lesson Sara wanted us to get from the movie. I understood the Bohemian lifestyle and how they didn't like to compromise. But I wasn't sure on the contraversy of the Bohemian life, Until the discussion after class! What a long discussion, but an intersting one in fact. Both sides of the argument have very important and meaningful points.
For example the point of the Bohemian culture not wanting to sale out and following the norms of society. Expressing yourself freely with forms of art. And also, living for the day. I think these are great points. I mean im all about being unique and following your own beat of your own drum. But I don't agree with the whole concepts of the Behomian lifestyle, maybe because I've always been taught to have goals and have a developed plan to reach them.
I think im stuck in the mind set of corporate America, probably because im majoring in business and economics. It makes total sense to me, when you plan for the future, invest your money, make money, all the steps needed to secure a well future for you and your family. Doesn't this make sense? For example consider yourself a business to be successful you have to have a business plan, understand the concepts of economics and try to have a plan B in case things don't come out as expected. If we're are living on a day to day bases, when we encounter a hardship we are not going to know how to deal with it (econmic wise). I agree and understand to live life like its the last day, but also live life like there's a tomorrow.
We should know how to "work hard and also know how to play hard."
I'll start by addressing the idea of living in the moment. A concept that the bohemian set takes all too literally. Yes Jake you did hear something along the line of no past or future, but you along with others in the class refused to listen to the explanation. Very few would argue that human beings in their current state are capable of experiencing any time frame other than the present. It seemed that you eventually came to the right conclusion but you managed to waste everyone's time in the process. Hopefully you don't take everything you hear quite so literally. As for the movement around which the movie seemed to focus, I prefer to call it the "stupid hippie movement" others may call it the bohemian movement. Any lifestyle that is not self sustaining is one that should not be embraced. Where peace, love, and harmony are all ideals we should strive for as a society, we can not lose sight of the reality of the situation. The reality is that rent control is a major contributor to the housing costs in many major cities. The reality is that those buildings aren't made with 1000 kisses. The reality is that when those buildings become unprofitable after rent control legislation is passed, they lose the money to hire maintenance personal and grounds keepers and managers. Rent control turns neighborhoods into ghettos. As for the underlying issues of aids, art, homosexuality any other hot button issues democrats can flood these movies with. It all comes back to the same thing. No one wants to take responsibility; You have aids? You should have used protection or stopped doing drugs. You're gay? Every new social class has struggled to gain acceptance since the beginning of time. You want free love? Earn it. Very few people rage against the machine like i do, but let's be smart about this. Hard work and discipline, not that I'm a model of either, are still virtues that should be focused on. While it's fun to go to rallies and yell at people that don't think like you, nothing good is ever easy. Instead of going to protest your landlord, or burn your eviction notice, your time would be better spent researching the sides and making an informed decision so that when you find yourself in a position to make a real difference, you can. This movie, while being arbitrarily artistic, is hippie garbage, filled with an egocentric (with the exception of Angel) cast filled with a sense of entitlement that so perfectly describes reality of the movement.
okay i guess i'm not into the musicals this movie was the most painstaking thing i've ever seen a song about lighting a candle yay thats amazing best investment of my time!(sarcasim) (my opinion)
okay pro the movie it portrays these people not as like bums or however anyone else wants to imagine them but as people with passion who don't want to sell out people who stay true to themselves and not the almighty dollar whats so wrong with that? everyone wants to live in the moment a bit theres nothing wrong with that the issues come up when your extreme to one side or the other like if i save every penny i ever made and get hit by a bus or something i never got to enjoy the money and my hardwork was pointless no pay off, but at the same time if you live in the moment all the time theres also a problem with the whole tomorrow won't come attitude so theres nothing wrong with me not getting a job or drug use or anything like that cause you don't care about tomorrow and you simply care only about the now so there has to be a balance. Think about this how many people are paying a bunch of money for school just to come live in the moment or are they there to get a dimploma for the sake of getting a career and making money for tomorrow? I try to do both i try to enjoy my classes and learning but at the same time i have my eyes on my goal.
I'd love to be bohemian and not have to work or anything and just do the things i love to do but i don't know i just don't see that happening.
adding more to my comment i plan on providing for myself and not depending on society to pay my rent i'll make time to do the things i love they're called hobbies i'll work to buy my snowboard pass i'll work to buy a skate i'll work to pay for my school.
I think that rent was a good look into the life of the bohemian philosophy. It showed a way to live following the life style of love and peace. I do however feel that the lifestyle they lived is not really realistic for the common person. I wish that all we had to do in life was sing dance and have fun but in the real world for most people we would starve. I think that the bohemian life style is great if you can find someone to fund it but I will stick with hard work and dedication and worry about paying my own way in life.
the life of a bohemian must be pretty good, not paying rent, doing what you like to do. what a life ! but they dont give a fuck that they live off others shit and yours and mine taxes, basterds. but i have to look at the pro side of a bohemians lifestyle, they make good art, so they can live in a shitty apartment with no gas or light no caring what tomorrow will bring along. me in a way can be called a bohemian just cuz i havent worked for 4 months to train for golden gloves here in utah. yet i have a plan in the future, going to college wanting to be someone some day. but like i said in my past posts like this class is about contraversy so i can agree with the bohemian lifestyle as long as it makes you feel good do it.
Well it was a good movie. I usually don’t like “musicals” but this one wasn’t bad. Well as far as for being a Bahamian it looks like a great life never worry anything. To bad live is not like that everything cost money in one sense or another. Nothing is free. You can work out deals with people and trade something that is valuable to some one. It reminds me of a guy that lived in draper and posed as a bum during the day in salt lake. He would dress up and go beg people for money. He was getting between 100 and 300 dollars a day. That’s not a bad income for bumming off people for a living. I point is that those people that are choosing to give there money to a “bum” on the street are doing what they feel is right. They WORK for that money and have the right to do what they want when they want. There are people out there that do need a pick me up from time to time. But the ones that do it because they are to lazy or don’t want to get a job (now I know that the majority of the people that are unemployed in Utah either physically or mentally cant hold or have a job) they need to suck it up and do what they got to do. Now I love riding horses and have 3 of them. It cost me about 3000 dollars to just feed all of them each year not including all the other cost. I have to come up with the money some how if I want to continue to enjoy riding them as my hobby. What is the difference between me riding horse and someone who love to paint or create music? I don’t make money of riding horses some people do. So for those that aren’t making money of there hobbies or passions they have to pay the bills too. I don’t have a house or apartment that I can live in for free while I try to make money of training horse (riding) so why should they? It a eat or be eaten world out there and that’s how it going to be for the life of the world. I wish it was different but that’s life.
Musical's are for the birds! Living a bohemian life would be nice for a change. Kind of like a vaccation from reality. Not worrying about a whole lot, living off of others. Sounds kind of like my brother. Maybe he is bohemian? In all reality i just can't identify with them. In the world I live in everything you get has to be worked for, except for maybe a cold. But that is my life, my idea of "living" is in a completely different place than that of a true bohemian. To them they are living there life to the fullest. Its hard to wrap my brain around that lifestyle, but to a bohemian it is probably really hard for them to wrap their brain around a normal persons day. Who works 40 hours a week? A much better movie comes to mind when thinking about the lifestyle of a bohemian. In fact its about a "normal person" crossing over to the lifestyle of a bohemian..... Can you guess which movie i'm talking about.....? Ever seen Office space? Now that's the movie we should have watched! "What would you do with a million dollars?" "I would do absolutely nothing." "You dont need a million dollars to do that! Take a look at my cousin, he's broke don't do shit!" Sounds like the bohemian life to me!
Overall these bohemians sound like a bunch of less then attractive people who are too lazy to do anything really productive with their lives. The only reason these people claim bohemianism is to get a free piece of ass from the next ugly freeloading moron in line. Living a life dedicated to making art is fine and dandy, but if you are not somehow making money from your art, how do you expect to live? You can't eat your art you mindless drones!So what do they do? Feed off of the hardwork of others?? That's exactly it. Call it whatever you want boheminism, mooching, freeloading, It's people like this who are helping proliferate the breakdown of America's economy, by cheating the system! You might think, "good for them, stick it to uncle sam!" But in all reality the money is coming out of our pockets! Look at our welfare problems? No government can control this outrage! Lazy people taking advantage of the system and letting Uncle Sam take care of them. Taking the money that was put there for those unfortunate people who are falling on hard times and truly need it! These people are not freeloaders, they are theives! There is a difference between being homeless because you lost your job and being a freeloading, parasite to society! What a piece of crap idea! (and i am well aware of the fact that i am making a very broad statement, and at the same time being very narrow minded. This is not ment to be an insult to those who are truly trying their hardest and can't make ends meet.)
Rent is a great musical/movie but damn does my head hurts from all the songs and poetry! i can only take a few songs but this movie had at least 25 songs in it. This movie did a lot of artistic expression and some controversy but over all it seem to just skim along from scene to scene. The bohemian seems to be a bunch of lazy asses who are bumming around until they are offered a opportunity. I can't see myself living like this because I am MONEY HUNGRY that is why I'm going to school to become someone, plus I have sibling to help support. Everyone has a given right to express themselves in every way but they should only do so if they have a means of supporting themselve and not become an burden to society. I too would love to just be a bum but I can't afford to!
Is the real life? Is this just fantasy? Caught in a musical! Okay, so, bohemia. The notion that people should be free to live their as such is a totally feasible option; however; it is an illogical idea given today's circumstances. It would be terribly difficult to maintain a certain lifestyle without conforming to some of societies standards such as paying for health insurance which requires a form of income, usually a job, and maintaining the welfare of yourself and possibly a family. While there are many varieties of art and culture, life can also be considered an art. How one uses the scientific method to evaluate the past to apply it in the here and now can be as simple or complex as you like. Much like a basic finger painting or more like the Mona Lisa.
The theme presented in the movie was intriguing albeit, I'm not terribly fond of musicals. Some of the voice talent was very good while others were alright? Granted everyone in that film can sing far better then I can.
The idea that is presented by the characters of how we choose to measure time was very thought provoking. I always thought of time as some intangible thing made up by men to regulate the ebb and flow of the business world. But considering measuring time in love opened new ideas for me. Instead of thinking, "Oh God, how much longer do I have to be at this stupid family party in this stupid sweater made by my stupid Aunt Barb, etc", why not think about the love that surrounds the family and the love that Aunt Barb put into my cheesy sweater? It makes me think more consciously about how my time is spent around my loved ones. If money were no issue I'd like to live a bohemian life as a surf bum in Australia.
Interesting show, and the bohemian lifestyle, even more. I love the concept though, live for the moment. There is no tomorrow but only today. The only problem I have with this is that someone has to earn some money somehow to pay for goods and services rendered, whether it be for shelter, utilities, transportation, food or whatever but someone has to pay sometime otherwise there's always going to be problems, and who wants that constantly. It's all good for a little while until reality hits and then either you disappear or you have to pay just like everyone else. I think the lifestyle, being free and all with everything like sexuality, art, music, religion preferences is wonderfully crazy and all but, there are limits. So this bohemian style is all a dream. Nothing more. Great music though...
I think that the movie was a great modern day depiction of the Bohemians. I do believe that you should do something in a career that you'll enjoy the rest of your life, but that doesn't mean you can't contribute to society. There are millions of ways to do what you enjoy and still contribute to those around you. I get mad with the whole living situation. Even though the guy in the movie was willing to give them their rent for free, somewhere down the line, someone else is paying for them to live there. It's just like welfare and those that abuse the system. I work dang hard for every penny I make, and the state and the feds take it all in taxes. And my taxes go towards those people who just sit around and expect everyone to be ok with it. I'm not, if they can't pay rent, find somewhere else to live. The music was great.
The bohemian lifestyle is very liberal and care-free. I can see why some people would be drawn to it. For example, I enjoy video editing very much and if I could do that 24/7 without having to worry about anything else, I would be a happy person. The idea of living your life for today and not focus so much on the future is really great to some extent, you could focus on what you’re doing now and worry less about what’s going to happen months from now, and that alone would make my life easier. Then again, if you always lived for the moment, it could lead you down a dark road that maybe you hadn’t intended to be in but to be fair this could also happen if you lived your life focusing too much on the future or the past. I thought RENT did a good job showing this with its characters, you had some who probably lived too much for the moment and ended up with HIV and broken dreams. For example, Collins to me was depicted as a character who realized his lifestyle was maybe a little too out of control so he moves away to work and then comes back to visit every year. The same with Benny, who appears to be a similar character, but where Collins is still somewhat living a bohemian lifestyle, Benny completely turned away from it. My opinion regarding this type of lifestyle is that it is good to focus on today, while also not forgetting about your future or past. Your past is what led you to become the person you are today, it’s like a foundation. Also if you don’t focus on today you will not get your goals accomplished for the future, its one thing to say you’re going to do so and so in the future but unless you act towards it today, you’re not going to get anything done. So, I think if you can find a balance between past, present and future to live by along with a set of personal values it will be that much more beneficial for anyone.
I find the Bohemian Lifestyle very interesting. The thought of being able to have everything we want and be content in life is intriguing. You hear so many people today wishing they had more and never happy with where they are. One thing I pulled from this movie is that we have control of our own happiness. No matter what happens, no matter how many times we are threatened with eviction, or how much of our stuff is taken. We still have the chance to be happy and see that up side of everything. It makes me think of the movie we briefly spoke about in class, Wayne's World. Through the whole movie, They are running a show that they love the way they want to. it may not make much, and it may not be popular. But they were doing what they like and not hurting anyone else. If i was able to play volleyball my entire life and not have anything else to do, you bet your ass i would do it, in a heartbeat. So in a whole. I agree with the thought of the movie, but in reality, there are responsibilities we all have, and must take care of them on a day to day basis.
Wow!! i could not wait for this movie to get over with. This movie sucked, i dont have a problem with musicals, but the music depicted in this movie i did not find interesting at all. I really did not even see the controversy in the movie until we talked about it after the movie ended. In theory, the boheminan lifestyle would be a glorious lifestyle, but in actuality, I think the bohemian lifestyle is irresponsible and not fair to the other members of society. To me, the bohemian lifestyle portrays people who are simply lazy. if i could live rent free, without heat and bills, i would do it in a second. Ya sure, they produce good art, sometimes. But as a whole, society is paying for these lazy people who dont want to endure the responsibilities of society.i think everyone should contribute and no one should get a free ride no matter what. Bohemians claim you can do whatever you want as long as you are not hurting anybody else. Well how about in the movie Rent when everyone was refusing to pay there rent causing "the man" to banish them from the apartment. I am sure those bohemians caused "the man" a lot of unnecessary stress. The way are society is evolved, i dont think it is possible for the bohemian lifestyle to thrive. So all you bohemians out there, stop being lazy and go get a god damn job! we are sick of paying for your necessities to live.
Who coined the word bohemian? I would guess it is a self proclaimed artist or bohemian. I have never heard of this movement until this week. I have heard of hippies, gypsies and poets but not this. Since when is it okay to dream on others wallets. They need to balance their hobbies with a job like everyone else. These people are not the only innovators with creativity; in fact I would bet very few bohemians have a legitimate talent. One of my favorite parts in the musical was when they came out of their apartment to find the police getting the home lady to move off the sidewalk. The guy with thick-framed glasses took it as an opportunity to film. The homeless lady told him not to film her misery to make a name for him. He had no response because this is the simple truth. He was filming her for his own benefit… Society has no obligation to support these, self-proclaimed bohemians.
In further thought, come to think of it for the most part poets’ gypsies and hippies are all self sustained. Sure a gypsy might sell you watered down whine. The hippy might expect you to share your belongings but at least its precipice and the poets are either hired on as a personal muse or they live modestly their lives are based on experience. They might jump from job to job but at least they don’t expect anything for their art, the motivation is intrinsic.
although I could not find anything to offend me in the movie, at least it wasn't boring like some of the movies we had. The bohemian lifestyle seems like a very fine way to live except for the lack of cash and the whole unwilling to sell your principles for money. Whereas I do believe in selling your morals for a steep price to be perfectly fine. Of course that is simply my oppinion. Bohemian lifestyle while presumably short lived is one of livid passion and squeezing every thing out of every moment, it seems that their view of others is generaly that they are somehow worse or worseoff than the bohemian's because of the fact that they are not poor or artist. remindes me of the Romani.
I liked this movie! I enjoyed its catchy lyrics, melodies and the fun, upbeat rhythms as well as tear jerking, emotional scenes of lost loves. However, as I look back at the film and I got the impression that if you are bohemian the chances of you either contracting AIDS of being an IV drug users is about 75%! So to me, the idea of being a starving artist is incompatiable with life... Putting the health risks aside, I feel it is selfish and ignorant to expect others to pick up the slack for your living expenses. I understand that being a "good" artist means that you dedicate alot of time to your art. But I also believe in taking care of yourself. Overall, I think that the bohemian lifestyle is selfish and immature! Sorry to put it so boldly...
525600 times i fell asleep during this movie. Yea people who live like that are retarded get a freakin job. Money does bring happiness, when i go to work and get my paycheck i am happy no one likes to worry about where there rent will come from, and in that movie that is what they worried about they lived like crap. they may look happy on the outside but they always have to worry and they are really not happy. I didnt like the movie but then again i really don't like any musical. So this one was no different. get a job and contribute to society
worst movie ever. i wish thats all i could post on this movie. but i guess ill explain why i thought it was the worst movie ever. first off i hate musicals. whoever thought of having a movie full of singing is dumb. i seriously wanted to shoot myself every minute of that dumb movie. okay so i vow never to watch a musical again. well rent had a terrible plot line, the whole notion of being able to live for free in an apartment just to do drugs and art is pointless. there are people who do that and they are going nowhere in life. they sit on their ass all day and play video games. cool way to waste your life... whoever thinks they are going to get a free ride in this life needs to grow up. its impossible to freeload for all your life sooner or later they leave you high and dry and oh yeah, broke. i also think they need to get a job and contribute to our society.
Wow, all I can say about this movie, is it is one of the boring est movies I have ever seen... I would say musical movies suck, but I can't because one other musical I enjoyed was high school musical. Good thing that was one of the first musicals I watched, because I would have hated musicals and would of never watched anymore ever again. I also find the Bohemian Lifestyle weird, living in an apartment without paying rent, electric, and water bills. I would have never thought that would happen except when we were younger, and lived with our parents... haha but I was wrong. I didn't see the controversy in this movie till the movie was over and we talked about it in class. I couldn't really understand anything they said in the movie cuz it was all musical, which was really boring and made me real sleepy.. Even though I would love to live like this and not pay rent and would definitely do it in a heartbeat. I don't think I would be really happy inside, knowing that I don't work for my own money. That's why I think everyone should work for their money and stop freeloading, its only ok to freeload from your parents :) haha. but yeah, everyone should definitely contribute and take care of themselves.
I did not find this movie entertaining one bit. But I'm not going to criticize the movie but what the movie is based upon; the bohemian lifestyle.
Artists must concentrate on their work. That's true for the most part. To make good art takes a good amount of time. To make great art, you need a great amount of time. Why bother with things like housing payments, utility payments, etc., when you can't spare time for your art?
However, this puts financial responsibility for their needs on someone else, when all they do is live their lives as "free" as they please. This is not fair for the majority who work for their pay, and use that pay to meet their financial needs.
But who would not want to live rent free and not needing to worry about paying? I certainly wouldn't mind. However, to live this lifestyle is selfish and burdensome on society.
For example, the society has many programs, such as social security, welfare, unemployment, and medicare, that helps citizens financially. However, there are many that are taking advantage of them, heavily relying on them, and knowing that they can continue using those services without doing much of anything. And what's worse is that they don't contribute back. (This is an example of illegal immigration, which I will discuss more in that topic but I'm making a connection with this topic at hand).
I do not agree with the bohemian lifestyle. Those living it need to take financial responsibility of their lives, regardless of what art they do.
One aspect of the bohemian lifestyle that I find interesting is that they are able to make the best out of any situation they are in. for instance, some of the characters in the film have their life threatened by a disease! But they still sing and dance the whole movie. I did not enjoy this movie that much. Although I do agree with the point made in class that there are many different art forms portrayed in this movie and there would be no other way to do it besides a musical. I agree with the whole selling out aspect of the Bohemian Life. I listen to Ska and Punk rock, which is an art form that does not go mainstream, probably because the majority of people don’t like the music. I for one love it and would hate to see some of my favorite bands selling out. It is not the principle of doing something that gets you money that is the problem. It’s the fact that you no longer do what you love. The music is changed by record companies to fit the popular vote. That I don’t agree with. Play what makes you happy. That’s the thing about it. Most Ska and punk rock bands have other jobs to be able to support themselves in what they do because they don’t make enough from just record sales. The fact of the matter is that there is a responsibility to fulfill. And the bohemian lifestyle avoids that responsibility and they want to be free loaders all the time. That just doesn’t work…
i am sorta at a loss for words with this film. while it did present many different controversian aspects of modern life, i felt that the biggest ones that were presented were the battle between the rich and the poor and also the idea that one should beable to live without needing to pay someone else. in the beginning of the movie they open up with a beautiful song about how to count a year and i agree that counting the love and those precious moments is truely important, but unfortunatly we still have much more that just the moments of love that are happening in our lives. we have sickness and turmoil that seem to offset or maybe accentuate the happy times. we have the streches of time where there is really nothing that happens other than the daily routine. this could be counted as a happy time though. there are also things that happen outside of ones personal life that needs to be noticed and put into consideration. as a side note, what is happiness? i know that if my wife was forced to live like the people in this movie she would revolt and declare how unhappy she is. whereas the people in the movie seem to be happy with the lives that they have. prespective is another very inportant part of someones life to consider here. the movie also has one character that has "betrayed" the ideals of the group and left, gotten married and associates with the rich owner of the buildings in the neighborhood. although he is considered a traitor of sorts, this person contiually tries to buy the loyalty of our group of boheimians with the lure of free rent for an untold period of time. i personally feel that this in particular would have been a true abandonment of their ideals in this movie as they would have needed to sell out thier friends for this "free rent." nothing is free, you may get things without paying money for them, but there is always a price. i feel that this movie has both sides of this issue in play. the rich trying to take advantage of the poor and viceversa. the idea in the movie that getting a job to support yourself is selling out is i think, outlandish! i do agree that there are some things in life that should be had without reguards to how much money you have, but a place to live is sadly not one of the ones that we get in modern society. in other times i would dare say that with the sweat of your brow you could build a place to live, the price, and then be beholden to very few men, but alas this is no longer the case. in current times there is nearly always a monetary price to be paid for your piece fo heaven. this would require a source for that moeny hence for most of us a job. i personally enjoy the fact that i can work and provide for my family. i might not have the best job and there are days that i dont want to work, but i feel blessed to beable to do this for my family. when i am not at work or otherwise busy, then i can do what i feel like doing as well. this is a great thing too. it would be considered rude and selfish for me to try to live as the people in this movie do. to put my own desires and selfish wants before the needs of those i love. i guess in the heart of this matter for me is the simple fact that i dont want to live the life described in the movie. if i want something, then i will do what i need to do so that i can get it. it is not selling out, simply the price that needs to be paid.
This movie was a little different but it was still pretty good!!! This movie was really good on how people try to live without using any money. In today's society I don't think anyone could do that. We have bums rolling around the street but its because they aren't even trying to put their lives in order. Without work you can not do anything!!! Your life will just be floating their. Although it will be really cool if you could get away with it but in today's economy I don't think thats possible!!! Without a job would be pretty sweet cause it will allow you to do whatever you want and just play some music!! Maybe some day I will try to live life how they did so I know how to see what they see... But having a job and Income is just to sweet for me!!!
I thought rent was an interesting film it definitely portrayed the free lifestyle. I don't agree with the way they feel they should live or else they would have no rules. The owner of the building was a guy just trying to do what was right. I understand that all people should have a roof over their heads, but I also believe that people should go get jobs and work for a living and they can live their lives the way they want if they work hard enough to do so. Nobody should just be able to live their lives freely to the point that they don't have to pay rent or do anything. They cant just live free. I know we are a free country but it isn't run by people that are trying to get by without doing anything.
Personally I liked this movie. Im not a huge fan of musicals but I still liked it. I never really knew a lot about the bohemian lifestyle so this movie was really eye opening. I think that a lot more people should live the bohemian lifestyle to a certain extent. No one should care what other people think of you, you should be able to do what you want.
Not everyone in the world can be bohemian though. There has to be a balance or else I dont think the world could function. I think we could all take this movie into consideration and life a little more freely. The world is very uptight lately and we all need to chill out.
I have never seen Rent becaue i'm not a big fan of musicals. I did find it interesting with the culter or Bohemian. When i first read then article it reminding of a new age hippie. There are things that i agree with and disagree with the lifestyle of the bohemian. I would have to say i like how they are happy people for the most part and nothing brings them down. However i don't agree with how they should not have to do anyting and should get things. I believe that they just liked everyone else should have to work to support there habbits and lifstyle. There should be no excetions to them. I think that they should have to obey the laws and the respect of other people. Just like when they went in the restuarant and the owner did want them in there because they create rukus without getting anything. They need to follow the rules and laws.
I liked the movie but the it makes me harder to understnad whay they were saying beucase of musicals. But I think it is very great that they can show thier story by without using normal conversation. How melody sounds and how they sing actually show very good thier emotions. I did not what is bohemian till I watch this movie.Like other people comment here, it is very cool that you can do whatever you want, but when it starts involving other people, it is not. Freedom is not free. We have to do our responsibility to get that freedom. If people start doing only what they want, our country cannot survive. We have to help each other with neighbors for that, you cannot do only what you want. We are not children, we better know things we should do and we have to do. Your free time come after that. I am not saying we have to do samething other people do, but you have to do certain things to make everyone's life better not only yours
The idea of a bohemian life is a nice thought but is unrealistic for any modern/semi modern society. Yes its good to be creative and artistic buy you should only devote your life to it if you are really actually good at it. People drop their change off onto bohemians on the street out of pity, but are more than willing to throw down major cash to see a good band or orchestra. To me its okay to live such a lifestyle as a child but that is it. As an adult you should still get yourself a job in order to get a place to live and work on you artistic adventures. You should also get over the idea that making big money off your talents is selling out. Bohemia is a fantasy and as a movement it is a joke.
As for the movie Rent how depressing can you get? How is this movie supposed to be promoting a supposed positive lifestyle when everyone has aids or is addicted to drugs. The show is all dark and dreary. If Bohemia is so good than why would you make it appear so bad. Even the good stuff in the movie still is not very good. Rent does a better job as portraying Bohemia as a life of shit than as a life of a wonderful, pleasureful, existence.
I think all of us though would like more time to devote to our talents, hobbies, and things that we want to improve on but you can only get that unlimited amount of time if your lucky, single or have major amount of dollars readily accessible.
The bohemian lifestyle portrayed in the movie didn't make sense to me. Understanding though that it does seem like a care-free and 'lovely' life they live they have to remember, as humans, you need to be consistent to be truely happy with yourself. While others would disagree and say that they don't need to be productive to be happy is a lie. When they look back on their life what are they going to be able to say they accomplished or they did something great? I have a friend who is infact an artist and something i respect about him is that even he knows there are means to an end. Painting after painting, that kid keeps himself busy and when he has a 'block' he actually works at a coffee shop right below his loft. Now who's place is it to say that he is not a bohemian? He believes himself to be but also understands that as someone commented earlier, in this capital industry you need money to almost sustain life. Life isn't going to be handed to people who can't help themselves. But to continue with the controversy behind this film i do understand. They have been ones we had previously gone over in class so i almost looked over it until the discussion in class started. Life is a struggle and there are unexpected things that happen in life both good and bad. The way some of the characters handled it, to me, almost seem like they didn't care. Even though at the end they semi-get their stuff together, the process almost made them appear weak because the one guy who was a musician ran away from everything until his conscience came back (which seems like it took forever) and, personally, i wouldn't have run away from something like that. I understand the fact to that you have to live for the moment because you never know if it's the last moment you will be able to experience. And, in this movie, it proves that but to me, in the real world, tomorrow is promised if you set your goals straight and sometimes...tomorrow is all you really have to look forward to. As i stated in class during the discussion, I personally can reflect that i lived for tomorrow because when i was in rehab and pre-rehab, those moments i was 'living' nearly killed me. it was almost too painful to have to live through the moments i was having. Tomorrow is a greater thing to live for than the moment. Much greater.
Um well let's see Musical's not so much my cup of tea. I did like the basis of the movie if you tune out all the singing though. I don't understand how these people aren't seeing the controversy. First off you have people who don't want to work or pay rent living in a building and are fighting for it. Then you have a transvestite who has AIDS. Also you have the guy to gets a job but feels so bad like he just commited a murder, along with the Herion addict. There was so much controversy or maybe the singing just clouded over it all. I love these kinds of movies, not the musical part, but movies that show how everything really is. They show the girl going through withdrawals and becoming so sick. They show death and how every person is affected by it and how they react. It also shows how the closeness of friends who are more like family can overcome anything and they will always come back to each other.
I didn't care much for the movie. I was very relieved when the movie was finished. I am not a big fan of musicals. I don't agree with the bohemian lifestyle. I was raised that there is no such thing as a free ride. You can't expect for free handouts. If you want something you have to earn it.
I think that it is very possible to live in the moment and still plan for your future. In my opinion, if you are always living in the moment, you are not going to have much of a future. Experiences in your past are helpful. Our experiences are the biggest way we learn.
i was scared to watch this movie at first because it was a musical and frankly i dont like musicals they seem to drag on but abou thalf way through this movie i actually started to enjoy it it think it brought out a good look on the aids scene alot fo people have this feeling that people who have aids are these horrible disgusting people wich is entirely not true at all they are just normal people who go on just like everyone else although it this prejudice was not shown in this movie. and as for the bohemian lifestyle shown i believe that to each there own i dont think i could live like that personally all the time but as it was shown it made it look like a horrible horrible lifestyle wich i am sure is just a case by case scenario but in this movie and you do live a bohemian life style you apparently according to this movie are going to have a very hard life and get aids and die
Sure the idea of the bohemian lifestyle sounds good in theory but it doesn't actually play out that way. First of all nothing is free no matter what they say. Someone has to pay for the places these people use. I can understand if they had some sort of deal where they live their in return for the art they produce being givin to the owner and sold but it seems like all their work is crappy. If you choose to live this life just so you can paint the picture you want then you're an idiot. If the people dont think your work is worth buying than you shouldn't be doing for life. You should paint what the people want so you can sell it, buy your own place, live off of your own work, and then in your free time paint whatever the hell it is you want, but to think that you can live off of other peoples resources just so you can paint something that no one other than you wants than you are a fool. Secondly they say they live for ultimate happiness and do not interfere in the happiness of others. What about the the families of these people who live on the streets and do drugs and have sex with anyone. What about their happiness when their son/daughter O.D.s or freezes out on the streets, what about the violence that occurs in these bohemian communities, and what about giant eye sore that these dirty rundown places are to the rest of the world. Lastly tomorrow will always come no matter what you think. you may not personally be here to enjoy tomorrow but it most certainly will come and you have to plan for tomorrow, you have to plan for your family and friends, you have to take responsibility at some point. You cant just dick around your whole life and live off of others and not care about anybody but you and your bohemian culture.
First of all rent is too long and there are too many songs, way too many. Having said that I will get on to the real issue. In the movie there are a lot of controversial topics, the main one being the bohemian lifestyle. I am completely against the lifestyle but some of the ideas about it are good. I believe that you should look for the happiness that life can give you that doesn't come with material objects. Friends, family, these are the things that matter. However I am way against the mooching part of the lifestyle. There is nothing wrong with working for a living and providing if not for a family then for yourself. Where is the sense in living a life in poverty if you didn't have to all to support an idea of what you think life should be like. I've always said that there is nothing wrong with selling out. like we spoke about it class, sometimes you do it out of necessity and that's ok. What isn't ok is living off others who do work hard, that is a bunch of bull crap.
Musicals are just bad ways to make awful movies worse. It is a simple tactic used when a story line sucks to jazz it up with catchy music so that whomever is watching will leave thinking it was a good movie, when in reality that person only needs to download the soundtrack, and never have to watch to crummy movie again. I can think of 525,600 reasons why this movie was not my favorite...well, maybe not that many. As for the actual story line, where to start. The bohemian lifestyle is a good example of all that is wrong in America. We are a society that leaches off anyone and everyone in order to get more for less...or more for nothing. Happiness does not come in material possessions, but I believe that there is a lot in life to learn through hard work and the discipline that can come from it. The problem is that many Americans drown out these lessons in a bottle of booze. In the end though, we are all allotted our lots in life, and the real test is to learn to make the best of what we have been given. Simple acceptance though, is not the right answer. We should always be striving to be better...not better than anyone else, but better selfs. If everyone strived to be the best they could be, then there would be less suffering, pain and death in the country. There would be so many advancements in every field. Life would be bliss.
I don't agree with the bohemian ways of life. they are like hippies and being a hippie didn't get anyone anywhere. they were bums and had free sex. I do think that the bohemian way of life is the ultimate way a person should live, if everyone is living it though. that is the hard part about being a bohemian, some people agree and some people don't. I don't believe that there is a happy median between the two. they both have their pros and cons however. like never having to pay for anything. or everyone lifting eachother up. there is also the point of achieving moe cause you try harder. I don't think that we will ever achieve a true bohemian society because the natural man is selfish.
Love or hate musicals, the purpose of these posts is not to tell if you like musicals.
I found the depiction of the Bohemian lifestyle rather sad. To think that there is an entire lifestyle that is built on leeching off of others is pretty disgusting. When you are taught that you have to work for things and experience this in your lives, its strange to think that there is an entire lifestyle that rejects this idea. The art that they create may be nice, but there are many artists who create even better art while doing so without using others for their benefit.
the bohemian lifestyle is great for those who are living it, but in the end they are just taking advantage of others. if you want something in life you should have to work for it and not rely on others to make your way of life possible. they did have a good message about you should do what you love, but you should not be a burden on others in the process.
Rent is a good film, it has the good relaxing music. I love the main theme music "Season of Love" from the beggining of the film. The part on Tnago Maureen is good too. In the end, the part of "No Day But Today" is a nice ending as well.
In the film, it shows us what is the life of people whom live under the idea of bohemianism, the free lifestyles of those artists and actors. The different social viewpoints, often expressed through free love, frugality, or voluntary poverty.
Now in the way of this society which we living now, making money and get on with your life. Nothing is new in the way we live now. We need something to adventure, something to break the chain.
But in the other way, the idea of bohemianism is kind like hippies, turning away from responsibility. And be careful with your health.
Even though I like the musics in the Rent, but I still like Phantom of the Opera more.
I would have to agree with J-Clark, other than the fact that one day I may still RENT another musical. But, probably, the ALL-TIME, WORST MOVIE EVER! -rent-
Pros- I wasted $4.25 at Blockbuster on this shitty movie, and that's about as positive as it's gunna get. Oh, ok. The cinematographer did o.k. - That's it
Do I need to talk about gay bohemians? I feel I have done enough just to have watched this movie... And that goes for 75% of the other trash we've watched in here as well.
I actually thought it was interesting the way they used as many mediums as possible to show arts and a free lifestyle. alot of the contorvercial stuff has been covered in earlier movies so i don't know what to cover... bohemian doesn't seem horrible aslong as they are able to be creative and make something they are able to sell to keep their homes and able to live.
this movie made me want to go RENT a gun and shoot myself. It was sooooooooo boring. that said i think it is bull when someone is living somewhere for free and then when someone wants to charge them for it then they freak out. just cuz you are "free" doesn't mean the rules dont apply to you. to bad they didn't do the art form of destroying this movie before it was ever made. that would have been the ultamite masterpiece.
Everyone should pay rent. I'm not happy that the government has decided that property is theirs and they choose how much we give them depending on where we want to live and how nice the property is but it also is something we have to do in order to live. The movie itself was good. It focused on things I hadn't thought of like some people just can't afford it and choose not to just settle. I feel like that what I did when I got out of high school. I really don't know what I want to do but I have to pick something to make some money to live. Our economy is made up a lot of the goverment and what they think is important which isn't fair. But at the same time art is a huge money makeing industry and if these people couln't make rent by selling their own work then they should find another profession that they do enjoy. They think regular people don't enjoy what they do but some do. And people also like being able to eat and have heat. If they don't that's their choice.
If I had a choice to walk out that day then I would have. I mean the movie had so much songs in it that I could have a hindi movie and it would of have less songs. I think the movie was ok it was unique in its own way. If the music would have not been then the movie wouldn't have been the same. As far as the living like that i could not see my self like that. I amazing how society can survive.
First off i hate musicals so it was a nightmare for me to try to sit through this whole movie. I agree with a lot of the other people on this blog that it's bullshit that the bohemians think that they should be able to live somewhere for free. Do they feel like they have some fucking sense of entitlement just because they are artists? This is America and in order to have the freedoms that we are allowed we also have to pay for our own things. If people don't want to pay for things they should try going and living in a communist country where the government owns everything, see how that suits them.
In Bohemian living, while there is often an ideal of living cheaply or free, it is a matter of necessity, as very few artists have sustainable incomes. However, many of you seemed to think that modern day Bohemians actively looked for or expected handouts; this is incorrect. Modern day bohemians are somewhat like those whose name they invoke: they disparage materialism and the idea of lots of personal property. Hence, they no longer respect Benny because they feel that he has bought into the idea that people must have things, recognition and property in order to be happy.
Also, I can’t figure out where people got the idea from the film that Bohemians ask for any sort of welfare support or some kind of “free money” in addition to the rare grant. What is perhaps not well understood is that part of the ideal of living as a Bohemian is they reject the pursuit of wealth as intrinsically valuable and pursue passions regardless of profitability. The decision to live this type of lifestyle is not easy or carefree; artist who pursue their dreams and passions often live lives of privation and hardship (“a box of Captain Crunch would taste so good!”). However, just as most of us cannot imagine living without a financial plan, a safety net, a respectable career or “plan b” most of those living a Bohemian lifestyle cannot imagine living any other way. They live to achieve what they want out of life just as we all do. While some artists can be fulfilled creating art while still having a day job, not all can. But living without a safety net or backup allows people to take the risks necessary to succeed.
Those who believe that they should condemn those who live Bohemian-like as selfish should probably throw out the vast majority of their music, artworks and decent number of DVDs. Condemning the lifestyle that creates much of our great art means that you also condemn the art itself as the product of pointless and selfish life.
Rent, for my opinion was well balancing and express in unique way. In Term of the thesis, at lease hit my and fit well. I like this movie because, there were meaning of life into it. I am able to pick their through easier and understand by the expression of music without straight talk. I think a lot about life of others with love, justice and unify. Well, I would say I might have some words they said but I can feel their passion as human being. It was really miracle to know deby feel inspire song and able to survive from sickness. You can find the point of this movie depending on what do want to look at it. For me it was the friendship and willing to left other up.
ReplyDeleteOk I’m guessing I will most likely have the longest post on this subject being that it was I that was a little more outspoken on this topic in class. Not because I feel more passionate about it than any other topic we have addressed (actually far from it). In fact I didn’t think I would have much to say about it at all when the movie ended. I didn’t notice anything majorly controversial in the film but maybe it was the way the movie was written and the broad range of topics it contained. It was more subtle and I was thinking more about the overall topic of the bohemian life style rather than the individual, more controversial subjects like homosexuality, drug abuse, free love etc. It didn’t excite my emotions nearly as much as some of the other films we have seen. But for some reason I got interested in a few of the topics during the class discussion.
ReplyDelete1st. The controversy discussed in class and going on in the art space scene seems to be partly because the system is being abused. Probably by those who are more interested in being lazy and occasionally throwing a few cans of paint against a canvas and calling it art (I know I’m exaggerating but you get the point). Why should those of us, who aren’t involved in “art”, be obligated to pay for their living expenses? Don’t get me wrong I am actually a fan of the art space concept and somewhat jealous of those who have a natural (God given) talent for creativity and have found a way to pursue that lifestyle without being hindered by the daily grind, but is it right and where is the line? Take for instance the example used in class about the bottle of piss with a cross in it. I believe in Jesus Christ as my savior and shouldn’t have to fund a piece of art work that mocks him. Neither should a believer in atheism have to fund the construction of a statue of Jesus. So where do we draw the line between who gets a free ride and who doesn’t. As I said in class I believe everybody has a desire for the bohemian type lifestyle, to the extent that creativity exists in all of us in some form. We could all probably say that it would be nice for someone else to fund the pursuit of our passions. I think the answer is that we all need to make our own way with the occasional help from those with the power to do so, and stop dodging responsibility and accountability. In other words do our best to provide for our own success and take the help when needed. Not abuse the system, become dependant and lazy. I know that everybody needs and deserves a freebee or help from time to time but to think that just because a person was born with more of a creative drive or a certain talent that somehow they deserve free room and board (“RENT”) is unfair to say the least (especially when a lot of them come from wealthy families that put them through art school to develop these talents in the first place). In some ways it can conversely be compared to the vile belief that simply because a person is born with a birth defect, different skin color or in the wrong place they deserve to be persecuted. A line needs to be drawn somewhere. That is where I see the controversy in this aspect of the bohemian belief. I do however love the idea of being able to do exactly what you love day to day and I do think it’s possible, if the effort is made and the planning for it is an element.
2nd. Am I wrong when I say that I could have sworn I heard the instructor say “isn’t it true that there really is no past or future, only the present?” or something very similar? Obviously I disagree. I get the concept of that statement and think it’s helpful but only if it’s meant to mean we shouldn’t dwell on or live only in the past or only for the future. To literally think that the past or the future are of less value than the exact moment we are living in is ridiculous. Sorry to rehash some of the same stuff that was said in class but I thought I might be able to explain my position a little better in writing. In my opinion, living only for the moment or with the mentality that if it feels good do it is not the best way to approach life on a day to day basis. I’ve lived that way before, and to its extreme. I actually never expected to live as long as I have (but guess what, I am still here) and that is partly what fueled the fire. I must admit though I still love the occasional crazy idea of doing something just because it feels good. But for the most part I think this idea is perpetuated by those who want to dodge responsibility and accountability every day or that don’t have a love for things long term. Why plant a tree if you’re so worried that you could die tomorrow and never get the chance to enjoy its beauty. So what, plant it any ways, not only will you most likely be able to enjoy it tomorrow but the next generation will too. I personally would rather live as if there is a tomorrow, learning from the past and planning for those choice moments that will inevitably come along. Especially if we plan for them. Of course there’s no guarantee that tomorrow will come but as I said in class living life as if there is no future creates less of a possibility that you will have one at all or be able to enjoy it if it does come(and probably will).
Part of the beauty of life on a day to day basis is that you CAN learn from the past Savor the moment and plan for the future each day. Sleep, then repeat again making changes as needed or not. The past present and future DO exist. The choice is deciding where you want to live the most. To not think about, learn from or enjoy the past is to neglect a valuable piece of the overall human experience. Stay there to long and you can’t enjoy the present or plan for the future. The same is true for living only for the future, if you dwell on this only, you can’t enjoy the moment, be spontaneous or enjoy and learn from the past. There needs to be a balance and not denial about the realities of life. I’ve heard it said live today as if it were your last. Come on, really, I mean the concept is great and I’m sure to most it’s just a figure of speech, but there are some that take that saying literal. If we were all living today as if it were our last day on this planet it probably would be all of our last day on this planet (anarchy) because nearly nobody would show up to work,(Doctors, Policemen, Firemen, Plumbers etc.) Most of us wouldn’t bother paying our bills, taking out our trash, showering, brushing our teeth, feeding our animals, maintaining our homes etc. These are the things most of us do to ensure that we have a tomorrow and one worth living, on a planet that will most likely be here tomorrow. If today was all of our last day on this planet, I’m betting almost all of us would either go to each and every one we love, hang out with them or do a bunch of crazy stuff that would probably end up killing us before the day was over anyway like, consuming large amounts of drugs, alcohol and having sex with a hundred strangers (which could get you killed by their other partner). The reality is that most of us living a safe country have a much higher probability of being here tomorrow than not. Unless you happen to be terminally ill, very old or have some other reason to think you could be gone tomorrow (living in a war zone). To me it’s almost like a scare tactic to convince us that we only need to live for the moment because that’s all we have. I don’t buy it. But as I said before I think we all need spontaneity and momentary pleasures. However I think it’s better to focus on being a well rounded person. A saying I’ve heard in the past that I love goes something like this, learn from the past, savor the present and prepare for the future. Enough said.
At first I thought that the movie Rent was very boring and slow. I am not very much into musicals movies at all. When the movie was over and before our little discussion in class, I did not see any controversial in the movie at all, all that I saw was a movie about Bohemian lifestyle. But during our discussion after the movie was done I did notice that there were a lot of art types in the show and also controversies of gay, lesbian and HIV.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, Bohemian to me reminds me a lot of Hippie people, of course there are some differences between the two, but when comes to a living they seem exactly the same. I can not comprehend how come some of these people can live voluntary in poverty which they call free, they have no jobs, and the only way to make money is from art. I can not live that kind of life because I feel that I have responsibilities in my life I have a daughter to take care of it and I would not want my daughter to live on those kind circumstances. Also because I do live different than them I feel that it is not fair to me and others that decide to live like me to work our butts off and then see the other side just taking living from our taxes, no matter what other might say someone still will have to pay for these people to live like that.
Like others post about the movie, at first I saw no controversy and it turned out it was my own ignorance about musicals (which I can’t stand) that created a veil of ignorance. The discussion was good in this case because it stirred up a lot of hidden emotion in people about “living in the moment”. The idea of living for today and not focusing on the future can be dangerous if you don’t take into account people around you and how it could affect them.
ReplyDeleteFor example, if you’re living with HIV and are aware you are infected it is not the greatest idea to have a bunch of unprotected sex with whomever you choose. If you want to live for the moment and choose not to factor in consequences of your choices it will lead to your demise. But on the other hand there is always room for being spontaneous and having a child-like (not childish) outlook about things. I would be lying if I said I’m not jealous of any artist that is privileged enough to not work and have absolute time to focus on their work.
Being an artist myself I almost feel I was born to create things and it kills me inside to know I don’t have enough time in a day between work, school, homework, eating and sleeping to actually designate proper time to express my emotions the only way I know how. In that light I do wish I could say “FUCK IT ALL” and live the bohemian life style. And on the topic of selling out I believe Sara expressed it best when she said that making money is just a way for a lot of people to do what they really want and when I’m well off I will go back to my roots and let out many years of suppressed expression.
The whole idea of a free lifestyle is an idea that sounds great when you talk about it. It seems so open and loving, but just like in the movie, it hurts other people. The man who was a bohemian, but is now running them out, to me was not a mean guy at all. He had let them live there for a long time for free, and he needs to pay the bills just like everyone else. Well the bohemian idea is no bills, no money, just freedom and love. I think however, that this idea would never be possible if it were not for how advanced we are now days, so capitilism must be present. People back in the day would not be able to live like this, if they did they would die, because they would not grow their own crops, or do anything and eventually die. Plus in the movie I see them eating chips, and soda and drinks. Are these not money making companies who are creating this product for people to buy for MONEY????
ReplyDeleteThe whole bohemian lifestyle in my opinion is unable to exist. There must be a balance between socially acceptable behaviors and those you can do at your own time and place. It is a an idea that sounds so great and awesome when we talk or think about it, but we do not realize that this mindset, would stop the progress of humanity. It could make relationships stronger which would be a great benefit, but how come the lifestyle has to come with the loving relationships? I find it very possible for people to incorporate the main concepts of bohemianism into a normal socially acceptable lifestyle.
Interesting movie. I have to say that overall I don't really agree with the bohemian lifestyle 100%. That is not to say that I don't agree with some of it, because I do. I just think part of bohemianism is selfish. I understand not wanting to sell out and become completely corporate America but at the same time sometimes that is all we can do to get what we want. I have a sort of dead end job that is not what I want to do but it is the means to justify the ends of what I want to do. For someone to say I want everyone else to give me grants and free money while I sit around and produce art that won't sell is unfair. I love doing art, I have done it my entire life. I am not very good and I know that so I have found something else that uses my talents but also pays the bills.
ReplyDeleteI think if you are showing promise has a good young artist then you can receive a grant and begin to produce your art but you must learn to become self independent shortly after that or else you better be looking at other career options.
Sadly in this day and age, not all dreams come true and we can't be living in a fairy tale forever. We all have to give up something to get somewhere. I know this as much as anyone.
It is a interesting topic and like most topics in this class has more then one side to it. Grants and free living can help someone up to some point but we need to know when to draw the line and say enough is enough.
Rent: After going to the links and seeing the movie, I really wasn't clear on the message or the lesson Sara wanted us to get from the movie. I understood the Bohemian lifestyle and how they didn't like to compromise. But I wasn't sure on the contraversy of the Bohemian life, Until the discussion after class! What a long discussion, but an intersting one in fact. Both sides of the argument have very important and meaningful points.
ReplyDeleteFor example the point of the Bohemian culture not wanting to sale out and following the norms of society. Expressing yourself freely with forms of art. And also, living for the day. I think these are great points. I mean im all about being unique and following your own beat of your own drum. But I don't agree with the whole concepts of the Behomian lifestyle, maybe because I've always been taught to have goals and have a developed plan to reach them.
I think im stuck in the mind set of corporate America, probably because im majoring in business and economics. It makes total sense to me, when you plan for the future, invest your money, make money, all the steps needed to secure a well future for you and your family. Doesn't this make sense? For example consider yourself a business to be successful you have to have a business plan, understand the concepts of economics and try to have a plan B in case things don't come out as expected. If we're are living on a day to day bases, when we encounter a hardship we are not going to know how to deal with it (econmic wise). I agree and understand to live life like its the last day, but also live life like there's a tomorrow.
We should know how to "work hard and also know how to play hard."
I'll start by addressing the idea of living in the moment. A concept that the bohemian set takes all too literally. Yes Jake you did hear something along the line of no past or future, but you along with others in the class refused to listen to the explanation. Very few would argue that human beings in their current state are capable of experiencing any time frame other than the present. It seemed that you eventually came to the right conclusion but you managed to waste everyone's time in the process. Hopefully you don't take everything you hear quite so literally. As for the movement around which the movie seemed to focus, I prefer to call it the "stupid hippie movement" others may call it the bohemian movement. Any lifestyle that is not self sustaining is one that should not be embraced. Where peace, love, and harmony are all ideals we should strive for as a society, we can not lose sight of the reality of the situation. The reality is that rent control is a major contributor to the housing costs in many major cities. The reality is that those buildings aren't made with 1000 kisses. The reality is that when those buildings become unprofitable after rent control legislation is passed, they lose the money to hire maintenance personal and grounds keepers and managers. Rent control turns neighborhoods into ghettos.
ReplyDeleteAs for the underlying issues of aids, art, homosexuality any other hot button issues democrats can flood these movies with. It all comes back to the same thing. No one wants to take responsibility; You have aids? You should have used protection or stopped doing drugs. You're gay? Every new social class has struggled to gain acceptance since the beginning of time. You want free love? Earn it. Very few people rage against the machine like i do, but let's be smart about this. Hard work and discipline, not that I'm a model of either, are still virtues that should be focused on. While it's fun to go to rallies and yell at people that don't think like you, nothing good is ever easy. Instead of going to protest your landlord, or burn your eviction notice, your time would be better spent researching the sides and making an informed decision so that when you find yourself in a position to make a real difference, you can. This movie, while being arbitrarily artistic, is hippie garbage, filled with an egocentric (with the exception of Angel) cast filled with a sense of entitlement that so perfectly describes reality of the movement.
okay i guess i'm not into the musicals this movie was the most painstaking thing i've ever seen a song about lighting a candle yay thats amazing best investment of my time!(sarcasim) (my opinion)
ReplyDeleteokay pro the movie it portrays these people not as like bums or however anyone else wants to imagine them but as people with passion who don't want to sell out people who stay true to themselves and not the almighty dollar whats so wrong with that? everyone wants to live in the moment a bit theres nothing wrong with that the issues come up when your extreme to one side or the other like if i save every penny i ever made and get hit by a bus or something i never got to enjoy the money and my hardwork was pointless no pay off, but at the same time if you live in the moment all the time theres also a problem with the whole tomorrow won't come attitude so theres nothing wrong with me not getting a job or drug use or anything like that cause you don't care about tomorrow and you simply care only about the now so there has to be a balance. Think about this how many people are paying a bunch of money for school just to come live in the moment or are they there to get a dimploma for the sake of getting a career and making money for tomorrow? I try to do both i try to enjoy my classes and learning but at the same time i have my eyes on my goal.
I'd love to be bohemian and not have to work or anything and just do the things i love to do but i don't know i just don't see that happening.
adding more to my comment i plan on providing for myself and not depending on society to pay my rent i'll make time to do the things i love they're called hobbies i'll work to buy my snowboard pass i'll work to buy a skate i'll work to pay for my school.
ReplyDeleteI think that rent was a good look into the life of the bohemian philosophy. It showed a way to live following the life style of love and peace. I do however feel that the lifestyle they lived is not really realistic for the common person. I wish that all we had to do in life was sing dance and have fun but in the real world for most people we would starve. I think that the bohemian life style is great if you can find someone to fund it but I will stick with hard work and dedication and worry about paying my own way in life.
ReplyDeletethe life of a bohemian must be pretty good, not paying rent, doing what you like to do. what a life ! but they dont give a fuck that they live off others shit and yours and mine taxes, basterds. but i have to look at the pro side of a bohemians lifestyle, they make good art, so they can live in a shitty apartment with no gas or light no caring what tomorrow will bring along. me in a way can be called a bohemian just cuz i havent worked for 4 months to train for golden gloves here in utah. yet i have a plan in the future, going to college wanting to be someone some day. but like i said in my past posts like this class is about contraversy so i can agree with the bohemian lifestyle as long as it makes you feel good do it.
ReplyDeleteWell it was a good movie. I usually don’t like “musicals” but this one wasn’t bad. Well as far as for being a Bahamian it looks like a great life never worry anything. To bad live is not like that everything cost money in one sense or another. Nothing is free. You can work out deals with people and trade something that is valuable to some one. It reminds me of a guy that lived in draper and posed as a bum during the day in salt lake. He would dress up and go beg people for money. He was getting between 100 and 300 dollars a day. That’s not a bad income for bumming off people for a living. I point is that those people that are choosing to give there money to a “bum” on the street are doing what they feel is right. They WORK for that money and have the right to do what they want when they want. There are people out there that do need a pick me up from time to time. But the ones that do it because they are to lazy or don’t want to get a job (now I know that the majority of the people that are unemployed in Utah either physically or mentally cant hold or have a job) they need to suck it up and do what they got to do. Now I love riding horses and have 3 of them. It cost me about 3000 dollars to just feed all of them each year not including all the other cost. I have to come up with the money some how if I want to continue to enjoy riding them as my hobby. What is the difference between me riding horse and someone who love to paint or create music? I don’t make money of riding horses some people do. So for those that aren’t making money of there hobbies or passions they have to pay the bills too. I don’t have a house or apartment that I can live in for free while I try to make money of training horse (riding) so why should they? It a eat or be eaten world out there and that’s how it going to be for the life of the world. I wish it was different but that’s life.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteMusical's are for the birds!
ReplyDeleteLiving a bohemian life would be nice for a change. Kind of like a vaccation from reality. Not worrying about a whole lot, living off of others. Sounds kind of like my brother. Maybe he is bohemian? In all reality i just can't identify with them. In the world I live in everything you get has to be worked for, except for maybe a cold. But that is my life, my idea of "living" is in a completely different place than that of a true bohemian. To them they are living there life to the fullest. Its hard to wrap my brain around that lifestyle, but to a bohemian it is probably really hard for them to wrap their brain around a normal persons day. Who works 40 hours a week? A much better movie comes to mind when thinking about the lifestyle of a bohemian. In fact its about a "normal person" crossing over to the lifestyle of a bohemian..... Can you guess which movie i'm talking about.....? Ever seen Office space? Now that's the movie we should have watched! "What would you do with a million dollars?" "I would do absolutely nothing." "You dont need a million dollars to do that! Take a look at my cousin, he's broke don't do shit!" Sounds like the bohemian life to me!
Overall these bohemians sound like a bunch of less then attractive people who are too lazy to do anything really productive with their lives. The only reason these people claim bohemianism is to get a free piece of ass from the next ugly freeloading moron in line. Living a life dedicated to making art is fine and dandy, but if you are not somehow making money from your art, how do you expect to live? You can't eat your art you mindless drones!So what do they do? Feed off of the hardwork of others?? That's exactly it. Call it whatever you want boheminism, mooching, freeloading, It's people like this who are helping proliferate the breakdown of America's economy, by cheating the system! You might think, "good for them, stick it to uncle sam!" But in all reality the money is coming out of our pockets! Look at our welfare problems? No government can control this outrage! Lazy people taking advantage of the system and letting Uncle Sam take care of them. Taking the money that was put there for those unfortunate people who are falling on hard times and truly need it! These people are not freeloaders, they are theives! There is a difference between being homeless because you lost your job and being a freeloading, parasite to society! What a piece of crap idea! (and i am well aware of the fact that i am making a very broad statement, and at the same time being very narrow minded. This is not ment to be an insult to those who are truly trying their hardest and can't make ends meet.)
Rent is a great musical/movie but damn does my head hurts from all the songs and poetry! i can only take a few songs but this movie had at least 25 songs in it. This movie did a lot of artistic expression and some controversy but over all it seem to just skim along from scene to scene.
ReplyDeleteThe bohemian seems to be a bunch of lazy asses who are bumming around until they are offered a opportunity. I can't see myself living like this because I am MONEY HUNGRY that is why I'm going to school to become someone, plus I have sibling to help support.
Everyone has a given right to express themselves in every way but they should only do so if they have a means of supporting themselve and not become an burden to society. I too would love to just be a bum but I can't afford to!
Is the real life? Is this just fantasy? Caught in a musical! Okay, so, bohemia. The notion that people should be free to live their as such is a totally feasible option; however; it is an illogical idea given today's circumstances. It would be terribly difficult to maintain a certain lifestyle without conforming to some of societies standards such as paying for health insurance which requires a form of income, usually a job, and maintaining the welfare of yourself and possibly a family. While there are many varieties of art and culture, life can also be considered an art. How one uses the scientific method to evaluate the past to apply it in the here and now can be as simple or complex as you like. Much like a basic finger painting or more like the Mona Lisa.
ReplyDeleteThe theme presented in the movie was intriguing albeit, I'm not terribly fond of musicals. Some of the voice talent was very good while others were alright? Granted everyone in that film can sing far better then I can.
The idea that is presented by the characters of how we choose to measure time was very thought provoking. I always thought of time as some intangible thing made up by men to regulate the ebb and flow of the business world. But considering measuring time in love opened new ideas for me. Instead of thinking, "Oh God, how much longer do I have to be at this stupid family party in this stupid sweater made by my stupid Aunt Barb, etc", why not think about the love that surrounds the family and the love that Aunt Barb put into my cheesy sweater? It makes me think more consciously about how my time is spent around my loved ones.
If money were no issue I'd like to live a bohemian life as a surf bum in Australia.
Interesting show, and the bohemian lifestyle, even more. I love the concept though, live for the moment. There is no tomorrow but only today. The only problem I have with this is that someone has to earn some money somehow to pay for goods and services rendered, whether it be for shelter, utilities, transportation, food or whatever but someone has to pay sometime otherwise there's always going to be problems, and who wants that constantly. It's all good for a little while until reality hits and then either you disappear or you have to pay just like everyone else. I think the lifestyle, being free and all with everything like sexuality, art, music, religion preferences is wonderfully crazy and all but, there are limits. So this bohemian style is all a dream. Nothing more. Great music though...
ReplyDeleteI think that the movie was a great modern day depiction of the Bohemians. I do believe that you should do something in a career that you'll enjoy the rest of your life, but that doesn't mean you can't contribute to society. There are millions of ways to do what you enjoy and still contribute to those around you. I get mad with the whole living situation. Even though the guy in the movie was willing to give them their rent for free, somewhere down the line, someone else is paying for them to live there. It's just like welfare and those that abuse the system. I work dang hard for every penny I make, and the state and the feds take it all in taxes. And my taxes go towards those people who just sit around and expect everyone to be ok with it. I'm not, if they can't pay rent, find somewhere else to live. The music was great.
ReplyDeleteErin Bitters Wilkin
The bohemian lifestyle is very liberal and care-free. I can see why some people would be drawn to it. For example, I enjoy video editing very much and if I could do that 24/7 without having to worry about anything else, I would be a happy person. The idea of living your life for today and not focus so much on the future is really great to some extent, you could focus on what you’re doing now and worry less about what’s going to happen months from now, and that alone would make my life easier. Then again, if you always lived for the moment, it could lead you down a dark road that maybe you hadn’t intended to be in but to be fair this could also happen if you lived your life focusing too much on the future or the past. I thought RENT did a good job showing this with its characters, you had some who probably lived too much for the moment and ended up with HIV and broken dreams. For example, Collins to me was depicted as a character who realized his lifestyle was maybe a little too out of control so he moves away to work and then comes back to visit every year. The same with Benny, who appears to be a similar character, but where Collins is still somewhat living a bohemian lifestyle, Benny completely turned away from it.
ReplyDeleteMy opinion regarding this type of lifestyle is that it is good to focus on today, while also not forgetting about your future or past. Your past is what led you to become the person you are today, it’s like a foundation. Also if you don’t focus on today you will not get your goals accomplished for the future, its one thing to say you’re going to do so and so in the future but unless you act towards it today, you’re not going to get anything done. So, I think if you can find a balance between past, present and future to live by along with a set of personal values it will be that much more beneficial for anyone.
I find the Bohemian Lifestyle very interesting. The thought of being able to have everything we want and be content in life is intriguing. You hear so many people today wishing they had more and never happy with where they are. One thing I pulled from this movie is that we have control of our own happiness. No matter what happens, no matter how many times we are threatened with eviction, or how much of our stuff is taken. We still have the chance to be happy and see that up side of everything.
ReplyDeleteIt makes me think of the movie we briefly spoke about in class, Wayne's World. Through the whole movie, They are running a show that they love the way they want to. it may not make much, and it may not be popular. But they were doing what they like and not hurting anyone else.
If i was able to play volleyball my entire life and not have anything else to do, you bet your ass i would do it, in a heartbeat.
So in a whole. I agree with the thought of the movie, but in reality, there are responsibilities we all have, and must take care of them on a day to day basis.
Wow!! i could not wait for this movie to get over with. This movie sucked, i dont have a problem with musicals, but the music depicted in this movie i did not find interesting at all. I really did not even see the controversy in the movie until we talked about it after the movie ended. In theory, the boheminan lifestyle would be a glorious lifestyle, but in actuality, I think the bohemian lifestyle is irresponsible and not fair to the other members of society. To me, the bohemian lifestyle portrays people who are simply lazy. if i could live rent free, without heat and bills, i would do it in a second. Ya sure, they produce good art, sometimes. But as a whole, society is paying for these lazy people who dont want to endure the responsibilities of society.i think everyone should contribute and no one should get a free ride no matter what. Bohemians claim you can do whatever you want as long as you are not hurting anybody else. Well how about in the movie Rent when everyone was refusing to pay there rent causing "the man" to banish them from the apartment. I am sure those bohemians caused "the man" a lot of unnecessary stress. The way are society is evolved, i dont think it is possible for the bohemian lifestyle to thrive. So all you bohemians out there, stop being lazy and go get a god damn job! we are sick of paying for your necessities to live.
ReplyDeleteWho coined the word bohemian? I would guess it is a self proclaimed artist or bohemian. I have never heard of this movement until this week. I have heard of hippies, gypsies and poets but not this. Since when is it okay to dream on others wallets. They need to balance their hobbies with a job like everyone else. These people are not the only innovators with creativity; in fact I would bet very few bohemians have a legitimate talent. One of my favorite parts in the musical was when they came out of their apartment to find the police getting the home lady to move off the sidewalk. The guy with thick-framed glasses took it as an opportunity to film. The homeless lady told him not to film her misery to make a name for him. He had no response because this is the simple truth. He was filming her for his own benefit… Society has no obligation to support these, self-proclaimed bohemians.
ReplyDeleteIn further thought, come to think of it for the most part poets’ gypsies and hippies are all self sustained. Sure a gypsy might sell you watered down whine. The hippy might expect you to share your belongings but at least its precipice and the poets are either hired on as a personal muse or they live modestly their lives are based on experience. They might jump from job to job but at least they don’t expect anything for their art, the motivation is intrinsic.
although I could not find anything to offend me in the movie, at least it wasn't boring like some of the movies we had. The bohemian lifestyle seems like a very fine way to live except for the lack of cash and the whole unwilling to sell your principles for money. Whereas I do believe in selling your morals for a steep price to be perfectly fine. Of course that is simply my oppinion. Bohemian lifestyle while presumably short lived is one of livid passion and squeezing every thing out of every moment, it seems that their view of others is generaly that they are somehow worse or worseoff than the bohemian's because of the fact that they are not poor or artist. remindes me of the Romani.
ReplyDeleteI liked this movie! I enjoyed its catchy lyrics, melodies and the fun, upbeat rhythms as well as tear jerking, emotional scenes of lost loves. However, as I look back at the film and I got the impression that if you are bohemian the chances of you either contracting AIDS of being an IV drug users is about 75%! So to me, the idea of being a starving artist is incompatiable with life...
ReplyDeletePutting the health risks aside, I feel it is selfish and ignorant to expect others to pick up the slack for your living expenses. I understand that being a "good" artist means that you dedicate alot of time to your art. But I also believe in taking care of yourself. Overall, I think that the bohemian lifestyle is selfish and immature! Sorry to put it so boldly...
525600 times i fell asleep during this movie. Yea people who live like that are retarded get a freakin job. Money does bring happiness, when i go to work and get my paycheck i am happy no one likes to worry about where there rent will come from, and in that movie that is what they worried about they lived like crap. they may look happy on the outside but they always have to worry and they are really not happy. I didnt like the movie but then again i really don't like any musical. So this one was no different. get a job and contribute to society
ReplyDeleteworst movie ever. i wish thats all i could post on this movie. but i guess ill explain why i thought it was the worst movie ever. first off i hate musicals. whoever thought of having a movie full of singing is dumb. i seriously wanted to shoot myself every minute of that dumb movie. okay so i vow never to watch a musical again. well rent had a terrible plot line, the whole notion of being able to live for free in an apartment just to do drugs and art is pointless. there are people who do that and they are going nowhere in life. they sit on their ass all day and play video games. cool way to waste your life...
ReplyDeletewhoever thinks they are going to get a free ride in this life needs to grow up. its impossible to freeload for all your life sooner or later they leave you high and dry and oh yeah, broke. i also think they need to get a job and contribute to our society.
Wow, all I can say about this movie, is it is one of the boring est movies I have ever seen... I would say musical movies suck, but I can't because one other musical I enjoyed was high school musical. Good thing that was one of the first musicals I watched, because I would have hated musicals and would of never watched anymore ever again. I also find the Bohemian Lifestyle weird, living in an apartment without paying rent, electric, and water bills. I would have never thought that would happen except when we were younger, and lived with our parents... haha but I was wrong. I didn't see the controversy in this movie till the movie was over and we talked about it in class. I couldn't really understand anything they said in the movie cuz it was all musical, which was really boring and made me real sleepy.. Even though I would love to live like this and not pay rent and would definitely do it in a heartbeat. I don't think I would be really happy inside, knowing that I don't work for my own money. That's why I think everyone should work for their money and stop freeloading, its only ok to freeload from your parents :) haha. but yeah, everyone should definitely contribute and take care of themselves.
ReplyDeleteI did not find this movie entertaining one bit. But I'm not going to criticize the movie but what the movie is based upon; the bohemian lifestyle.
ReplyDeleteArtists must concentrate on their work. That's true for the most part. To make good art takes a good amount of time. To make great art, you need a great amount of time. Why bother with things like housing payments, utility payments, etc., when you can't spare time for your art?
However, this puts financial responsibility for their needs on someone else, when all they do is live their lives as "free" as they please. This is not fair for the majority who work for their pay, and use that pay to meet their financial needs.
But who would not want to live rent free and not needing to worry about paying? I certainly wouldn't mind. However, to live this lifestyle is selfish and burdensome on society.
For example, the society has many programs, such as social security, welfare, unemployment, and medicare, that helps citizens financially. However, there are many that are taking advantage of them, heavily relying on them, and knowing that they can continue using those services without doing much of anything. And what's worse is that they don't contribute back. (This is an example of illegal immigration, which I will discuss more in that topic but I'm making a connection with this topic at hand).
I do not agree with the bohemian lifestyle. Those living it need to take financial responsibility of their lives, regardless of what art they do.
One aspect of the bohemian lifestyle that I find interesting is that they are able to make the best out of any situation they are in. for instance, some of the characters in the film have their life threatened by a disease! But they still sing and dance the whole movie.
ReplyDeleteI did not enjoy this movie that much. Although I do agree with the point made in class that there are many different art forms portrayed in this movie and there would be no other way to do it besides a musical.
I agree with the whole selling out aspect of the Bohemian Life. I listen to Ska and Punk rock, which is an art form that does not go mainstream, probably because the majority of people don’t like the music. I for one love it and would hate to see some of my favorite bands selling out. It is not the principle of doing something that gets you money that is the problem. It’s the fact that you no longer do what you love. The music is changed by record companies to fit the popular vote. That I don’t agree with. Play what makes you happy. That’s the thing about it. Most Ska and punk rock bands have other jobs to be able to support themselves in what they do because they don’t make enough from just record sales.
The fact of the matter is that there is a responsibility to fulfill. And the bohemian lifestyle avoids that responsibility and they want to be free loaders all the time. That just doesn’t work…
i am sorta at a loss for words with this film. while it did present many different controversian aspects of modern life, i felt that the biggest ones that were presented were the battle between the rich and the poor and also the idea that one should beable to live without needing to pay someone else.
ReplyDeletein the beginning of the movie they open up with a beautiful song about how to count a year and i agree that counting the love and those precious moments is truely important, but unfortunatly we still have much more that just the moments of love that are happening in our lives. we have sickness and turmoil that seem to offset or maybe accentuate the happy times. we have the streches of time where there is really nothing that happens other than the daily routine. this could be counted as a happy time though. there are also things that happen outside of ones personal life that needs to be noticed and put into consideration. as a side note, what is happiness? i know that if my wife was forced to live like the people in this movie she would revolt and declare how unhappy she is. whereas the people in the movie seem to be happy with the lives that they have. prespective is another very inportant part of someones life to consider here.
the movie also has one character that has "betrayed" the ideals of the group and left, gotten married and associates with the rich owner of the buildings in the neighborhood. although he is considered a traitor of sorts, this person contiually tries to buy the loyalty of our group of boheimians with the lure of free rent for an untold period of time. i personally feel that this in particular would have been a true abandonment of their ideals in this movie as they would have needed to sell out thier friends for this "free rent." nothing is free, you may get things without paying money for them, but there is always a price. i feel that this movie has both sides of this issue in play. the rich trying to take advantage of the poor and viceversa.
the idea in the movie that getting a job to support yourself is selling out is i think, outlandish! i do agree that there are some things in life that should be had without reguards to how much money you have, but a place to live is sadly not one of the ones that we get in modern society. in other times i would dare say that with the sweat of your brow you could build a place to live, the price, and then be beholden to very few men, but alas this is no longer the case. in current times there is nearly always a monetary price to be paid for your piece fo heaven. this would require a source for that moeny hence for most of us a job. i personally enjoy the fact that i can work and provide for my family. i might not have the best job and there are days that i dont want to work, but i feel blessed to beable to do this for my family. when i am not at work or otherwise busy, then i can do what i feel like doing as well. this is a great thing too. it would be considered rude and selfish for me to try to live as the people in this movie do. to put my own desires and selfish wants before the needs of those i love.
i guess in the heart of this matter for me is the simple fact that i dont want to live the life described in the movie. if i want something, then i will do what i need to do so that i can get it. it is not selling out, simply the price that needs to be paid.
This movie was a little different but it was still pretty good!!! This movie was really good on how people try to live without using any money. In today's society I don't think anyone could do that. We have bums rolling around the street but its because they aren't even trying to put their lives in order. Without work you can not do anything!!! Your life will just be floating their. Although it will be really cool if you could get away with it but in today's economy I don't think thats possible!!! Without a job would be pretty sweet cause it will allow you to do whatever you want and just play some music!! Maybe some day I will try to live life how they did so I know how to see what they see... But having a job and Income is just to sweet for me!!!
ReplyDeleteI thought rent was an interesting film it definitely portrayed the free lifestyle. I don't agree with the way they feel they should live or else they would have no rules. The owner of the building was a guy just trying to do what was right. I understand that all people should have a roof over their heads, but I also believe that people should go get jobs and work for a living and they can live their lives the way they want if they work hard enough to do so. Nobody should just be able to live their lives freely to the point that they don't have to pay rent or do anything. They cant just live free. I know we are a free country but it isn't run by people that are trying to get by without doing anything.
ReplyDeletePersonally I liked this movie. Im not a huge fan of musicals but I still liked it. I never really knew a lot about the bohemian lifestyle so this movie was really eye opening. I think that a lot more people should live the bohemian lifestyle to a certain extent. No one should care what other people think of you, you should be able to do what you want.
ReplyDeleteNot everyone in the world can be bohemian though. There has to be a balance or else I dont think the world could function. I think we could all take this movie into consideration and life a little more freely. The world is very uptight lately and we all need to chill out.
I have never seen Rent becaue i'm not a big fan of musicals. I did find it interesting with the culter or Bohemian. When i first read then article it reminding of a new age hippie. There are things that i agree with and disagree with the lifestyle of the bohemian. I would have to say i like how they are happy people for the most part and nothing brings them down. However i don't agree with how they should not have to do anyting and should get things. I believe that they just liked everyone else should have to work to support there habbits and lifstyle. There should be no excetions to them. I think that they should have to obey the laws and the respect of other people. Just like when they went in the restuarant and the owner did want them in there because they create rukus without getting anything. They need to follow the rules and laws.
ReplyDeleteI liked the movie but the it makes me harder to understnad whay they were saying beucase of musicals. But I think it is very great that they can show thier story by without using normal conversation. How melody sounds and how they sing actually show very good thier emotions.
ReplyDeleteI did not what is bohemian till I watch this movie.Like other people comment here, it is very cool that you can do whatever you want, but when it starts involving other people, it is not. Freedom is not free. We have to do our responsibility to get that freedom. If people start doing only what they want, our country cannot survive. We have to help each other with neighbors for that, you cannot do only what you want.
We are not children, we better know things we should do and we have to do.
Your free time come after that.
I am not saying we have to do samething other people do, but you have to do certain things to make everyone's life better not only yours
The idea of a bohemian life is a nice thought but is unrealistic for any modern/semi modern society. Yes its good to be creative and artistic buy you should only devote your life to it if you are really actually good at it. People drop their change off onto bohemians on the street out of pity, but are more than willing to throw down major cash to see a good band or orchestra. To me its okay to live such a lifestyle as a child but that is it. As an adult you should still get yourself a job in order to get a place to live and work on you artistic adventures. You should also get over the idea that making big money off your talents is selling out. Bohemia is a fantasy and as a movement it is a joke.
ReplyDeleteAs for the movie Rent how depressing can you get? How is this movie supposed to be promoting a supposed positive lifestyle when everyone has aids or is addicted to drugs. The show is all dark and dreary. If Bohemia is so good than why would you make it appear so bad. Even the good stuff in the movie still is not very good. Rent does a better job as portraying Bohemia as a life of shit than as a life of a wonderful, pleasureful, existence.
I think all of us though would like more time to devote to our talents, hobbies, and things that we want to improve on but you can only get that unlimited amount of time if your lucky, single or have major amount of dollars readily accessible.
The bohemian lifestyle portrayed in the movie didn't make sense to me. Understanding though that it does seem like a care-free and 'lovely' life they live they have to remember, as humans, you need to be consistent to be truely happy with yourself. While others would disagree and say that they don't need to be productive to be happy is a lie. When they look back on their life what are they going to be able to say they accomplished or they did something great? I have a friend who is infact an artist and something i respect about him is that even he knows there are means to an end. Painting after painting, that kid keeps himself busy and when he has a 'block' he actually works at a coffee shop right below his loft. Now who's place is it to say that he is not a bohemian? He believes himself to be but also understands that as someone commented earlier, in this capital industry you need money to almost sustain life. Life isn't going to be handed to people who can't help themselves.
ReplyDeleteBut to continue with the controversy behind this film i do understand. They have been ones we had previously gone over in class so i almost looked over it until the discussion in class started. Life is a struggle and there are unexpected things that happen in life both good and bad. The way some of the characters handled it, to me, almost seem like they didn't care. Even though at the end they semi-get their stuff together, the process almost made them appear weak because the one guy who was a musician ran away from everything until his conscience came back (which seems like it took forever) and, personally, i wouldn't have run away from something like that. I understand the fact to that you have to live for the moment because you never know if it's the last moment you will be able to experience. And, in this movie, it proves that but to me, in the real world, tomorrow is promised if you set your goals straight and sometimes...tomorrow is all you really have to look forward to. As i stated in class during the discussion, I personally can reflect that i lived for tomorrow because when i was in rehab and pre-rehab, those moments i was 'living' nearly killed me. it was almost too painful to have to live through the moments i was having. Tomorrow is a greater thing to live for than the moment. Much greater.
Um well let's see Musical's not so much my cup of tea. I did like the basis of the movie if you tune out all the singing though. I don't understand how these people aren't seeing the controversy. First off you have people who don't want to work or pay rent living in a building and are fighting for it. Then you have a transvestite who has AIDS. Also you have the guy to gets a job but feels so bad like he just commited a murder, along with the Herion addict. There was so much controversy or maybe the singing just clouded over it all. I love these kinds of movies, not the musical part, but movies that show how everything really is. They show the girl going through withdrawals and becoming so sick. They show death and how every person is affected by it and how they react. It also shows how the closeness of friends who are more like family can overcome anything and they will always come back to each other.
ReplyDeleteI didn't care much for the movie. I was very relieved when the movie was finished. I am not a big fan of musicals. I don't agree with the bohemian lifestyle. I was raised that there is no such thing as a free ride. You can't expect for free handouts. If you want something you have to earn it.
ReplyDeleteI think that it is very possible to live in the moment and still plan for your future. In my opinion, if you are always living in the moment, you are not going to have much of a future. Experiences in your past are helpful. Our experiences are the biggest way we learn.
i was scared to watch this movie at first because it was a musical and frankly i dont like musicals they seem to drag on but abou thalf way through this movie i actually started to enjoy it it think it brought out a good look on the aids scene alot fo people have this feeling that people who have aids are these horrible disgusting people wich is entirely not true at all they are just normal people who go on just like everyone else although it this prejudice was not shown in this movie. and as for the bohemian lifestyle shown i believe that to each there own i dont think i could live like that personally all the time but as it was shown it made it look like a horrible horrible lifestyle wich i am sure is just a case by case scenario but in this movie and you do live a bohemian life style you apparently according to this movie are going to have a very hard life and get aids and die
ReplyDeleteSure the idea of the bohemian lifestyle sounds good in theory but it doesn't actually play out that way. First of all nothing is free no matter what they say. Someone has to pay for the places these people use. I can understand if they had some sort of deal where they live their in return for the art they produce being givin to the owner and sold but it seems like all their work is crappy. If you choose to live this life just so you can paint the picture you want then you're an idiot. If the people dont think your work is worth buying than you shouldn't be doing for life. You should paint what the people want so you can sell it, buy your own place, live off of your own work, and then in your free time paint whatever the hell it is you want, but to think that you can live off of other peoples resources just so you can paint something that no one other than you wants than you are a fool. Secondly they say they live for ultimate happiness and do not interfere in the happiness of others. What about the the families of these people who live on the streets and do drugs and have sex with anyone. What about their happiness when their son/daughter O.D.s or freezes out on the streets, what about the violence that occurs in these bohemian communities, and what about giant eye sore that these dirty rundown places are to the rest of the world. Lastly tomorrow will always come no matter what you think. you may not personally be here to enjoy tomorrow but it most certainly will come and you have to plan for tomorrow, you have to plan for your family and friends, you have to take responsibility at some point. You cant just dick around your whole life and live off of others and not care about anybody but you and your bohemian culture.
ReplyDeleteFirst of all rent is too long and there are too many songs, way too many. Having said that I will get on to the real issue. In the movie there are a lot of controversial topics, the main one being the bohemian lifestyle. I am completely against the lifestyle but some of the ideas about it are good. I believe that you should look for the happiness that life can give you that doesn't come with material objects. Friends, family, these are the things that matter. However I am way against the mooching part of the lifestyle. There is nothing wrong with working for a living and providing if not for a family then for yourself. Where is the sense in living a life in poverty if you didn't have to all to support an idea of what you think life should be like. I've always said that there is nothing wrong with selling out. like we spoke about it class, sometimes you do it out of necessity and that's ok. What isn't ok is living off others who do work hard, that is a bunch of bull crap.
ReplyDeleteMusicals are just bad ways to make awful movies worse. It is a simple tactic used when a story line sucks to jazz it up with catchy music so that whomever is watching will leave thinking it was a good movie, when in reality that person only needs to download the soundtrack, and never have to watch to crummy movie again. I can think of 525,600 reasons why this movie was not my favorite...well, maybe not that many. As for the actual story line, where to start. The bohemian lifestyle is a good example of all that is wrong in America. We are a society that leaches off anyone and everyone in order to get more for less...or more for nothing. Happiness does not come in material possessions, but I believe that there is a lot in life to learn through hard work and the discipline that can come from it. The problem is that many Americans drown out these lessons in a bottle of booze. In the end though, we are all allotted our lots in life, and the real test is to learn to make the best of what we have been given. Simple acceptance though, is not the right answer. We should always be striving to be better...not better than anyone else, but better selfs. If everyone strived to be the best they could be, then there would be less suffering, pain and death in the country. There would be so many advancements in every field. Life would be bliss.
ReplyDeleteI don't agree with the bohemian ways of life. they are like hippies and being a hippie didn't get anyone anywhere. they were bums and had free sex. I do think that the bohemian way of life is the ultimate way a person should live, if everyone is living it though. that is the hard part about being a bohemian, some people agree and some people don't. I don't believe that there is a happy median between the two. they both have their pros and cons however. like never having to pay for anything. or everyone lifting eachother up. there is also the point of achieving moe cause you try harder. I don't think that we will ever achieve a true bohemian society because the natural man is selfish.
ReplyDeleteLove or hate musicals, the purpose of these posts is not to tell if you like musicals.
ReplyDeleteI found the depiction of the Bohemian lifestyle rather sad. To think that there is an entire lifestyle that is built on leeching off of others is pretty disgusting. When you are taught that you have to work for things and experience this in your lives, its strange to think that there is an entire lifestyle that rejects this idea. The art that they create may be nice, but there are many artists who create even better art while doing so without using others for their benefit.
the bohemian lifestyle is great for those who are living it, but in the end they are just taking advantage of others. if you want something in life you should have to work for it and not rely on others to make your way of life possible. they did have a good message about you should do what you love, but you should not be a burden on others in the process.
ReplyDeleteRent is a good film, it has the good relaxing music. I love the main theme music "Season of Love" from the beggining of the film. The part on Tnago Maureen is good too. In the end, the part of "No Day But Today" is a nice ending as well.
ReplyDeleteIn the film, it shows us what is the life of people whom live under the idea of bohemianism, the free lifestyles of those artists and actors. The different social viewpoints, often expressed through free love, frugality, or voluntary poverty.
Now in the way of this society which we living now, making money and get on with your life. Nothing is new in the way we live now. We need something to adventure, something to break the chain.
But in the other way, the idea of bohemianism is kind like hippies, turning away from responsibility. And be careful with your health.
Even though I like the musics in the Rent, but I still like Phantom of the Opera more.
I would have to agree with J-Clark, other than the fact that one day I may still RENT another musical. But, probably, the ALL-TIME, WORST MOVIE EVER! -rent-
ReplyDeletePros-
I wasted $4.25 at Blockbuster on this shitty movie, and that's about as positive as it's gunna get.
Oh, ok. The cinematographer did o.k. - That's it
Do I need to talk about gay bohemians? I feel I have done enough just to have watched this movie... And that goes for 75% of the other trash we've watched in here as well.
ReplyDeleteI actually thought it was interesting the way they used as many mediums as possible to show arts and a free lifestyle. alot of the contorvercial stuff has been covered in earlier movies so i don't know what to cover... bohemian doesn't seem horrible aslong as they are able to be creative and make something they are able to sell to keep their homes and able to live.
ReplyDeletethis movie made me want to go RENT a gun and shoot myself. It was sooooooooo boring. that said i think it is bull when someone is living somewhere for free and then when someone wants to charge them for it then they freak out. just cuz you are "free" doesn't mean the rules dont apply to you. to bad they didn't do the art form of destroying this movie before it was ever made. that would have been the ultamite masterpiece.
ReplyDeleteRent
ReplyDeleteEveryone should pay rent. I'm not happy that the government has decided that property is theirs and they choose how much we give them depending on where we want to live and how nice the property is but it also is something we have to do in order to live. The movie itself was good. It focused on things I hadn't thought of like some people just can't afford it and choose not to just settle. I feel like that what I did when I got out of high school. I really don't know what I want to do but I have to pick something to make some money to live. Our economy is made up a lot of the goverment and what they think is important which isn't fair. But at the same time art is a huge money makeing industry and if these people couln't make rent by selling their own work then they should find another profession that they do enjoy. They think regular people don't enjoy what they do but some do. And people also like being able to eat and have heat. If they don't that's their choice.
If I had a choice to walk out that day then I would have. I mean the movie had so much songs in it that I could have a hindi movie and it would of have less songs. I think the movie was ok it was unique in its own way. If the music would have not been then the movie wouldn't have been the same. As far as the living like that i could not see my self like that. I amazing how society can survive.
ReplyDeleteFirst off i hate musicals so it was a nightmare for me to try to sit through this whole movie. I agree with a lot of the other people on this blog that it's bullshit that the bohemians think that they should be able to live somewhere for free. Do they feel like they have some fucking sense of entitlement just because they are artists? This is America and in order to have the freedoms that we are allowed we also have to pay for our own things. If people don't want to pay for things they should try going and living in a communist country where the government owns everything, see how that suits them.
ReplyDeleteIn Bohemian living, while there is often an ideal of living cheaply or free, it is a matter of necessity, as very few artists have sustainable incomes. However, many of you seemed to think that modern day Bohemians actively looked for or expected handouts; this is incorrect. Modern day bohemians are somewhat like those whose name they invoke: they disparage materialism and the idea of lots of personal property. Hence, they no longer respect Benny because they feel that he has bought into the idea that people must have things, recognition and property in order to be happy.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I can’t figure out where people got the idea from the film that Bohemians ask for any sort of welfare support or some kind of “free money” in addition to the rare grant. What is perhaps not well understood is that part of the ideal of living as a Bohemian is they reject the pursuit of wealth as intrinsically valuable and pursue passions regardless of profitability. The decision to live this type of lifestyle is not easy or carefree; artist who pursue their dreams and passions often live lives of privation and hardship (“a box of Captain Crunch would taste so good!”). However, just as most of us cannot imagine living without a financial plan, a safety net, a respectable career or “plan b” most of those living a Bohemian lifestyle cannot imagine living any other way. They live to achieve what they want out of life just as we all do. While some artists can be fulfilled creating art while still having a day job, not all can. But living without a safety net or backup allows people to take the risks necessary to succeed.
Those who believe that they should condemn those who live Bohemian-like as selfish should probably throw out the vast majority of their music, artworks and decent number of DVDs. Condemning the lifestyle that creates much of our great art means that you also condemn the art itself as the product of pointless and selfish life.