...hanging out does not make one an artist. A secondhand wardrobe does not make one an artist. Neither do a hair-trigger temper, melancholic nature, propensity for tears, hating your parents, nor even HIV - I hate to say it - none of these make one an artist. They can help, but just as being gay does not make one witty {you can suck a mile of cock, as my friend Sarah Thyre puts it, it still won't make you Oscar Wilde, believe me}, the only thing that makes one an artist is making art. And that requires the precise opposite of hanging out; a deeply lonely and unglamorous task of tolerating oneself long enough to push something out.
In David Rakoff's book "Half Empty," the author emphasizes that being an artist is not simply about one's lifestyle or personal struggles. He argues that elements such as fashion choices, emotional turmoil, or even sexual orientation do not define artistic talent. Despite the common belief that these traits contribute to artistry, Rakoff insists that they only provide context but do not equate to being an artist.
Instead, he states that true artistry comes from the act of creating art itself. This process is often solitary and requires self-reflection, rather than socializing or conforming to a certain image. For Rakoff, the essence of being an artist lies in the commitment to produce work, no matter how unglamorous or challenging that journey may be.