That Hero

My doodles of the greatest fictional superhero of all time and his first Larry-Mobile. Usually I don't like to post my drawings of stuff that other people have done because it feels like copying, but today I have a point.

This post is less about art and more about the purpose of art. I put a lot in this blog about how I want God's will to be done, but I don't always demonstrate it on here that well. I wanted to give a better example. I've placed a lot of pride in how I don't complain as much as other people do, but the problem with that is that I still complain, I just do it when I'm alone. I've been doing it more and more recently whenever I could get the chance, but today when I was complaining I stopped and remembered again that venting scientifically does not work. Then even more, I remembered a quote from Larryboy: The Cartoon Adventures episode 2, "Leggo My Ego!" The quote is "The way to feel super again is to build others up, not to make them feel small." I know that quote. I should know that! I saw that episode before I was even in school (but only last year learned what that title is a parody of), and today it feels more applicable than ever. It's been that way for most of the Larry-Boy stuff I've come back to in my adulthood, and it's surprised some other college-aged kids I've shared it with. If only I'd remembered. So now, for the practical application, I've decided on the discipline of trying to remember and say something nice about the people I'm mad at. This is especially if I've just complained about them and even if it makes me feel ashamed at first. It's so obvious I can't believe I didn't think of it sooner.
Update 8/24/17: Actually the more effective discipline has been practicing silence when I'm alone and trying to engage people and ask them questions about themselves. It's helping me to not blurt or see things only from my perspective. This is a process. 

And that's where the purpose of art comes in. Larryboy: The Cartoon Adventures does not have the best animation of all time (as hard as it is for me to admit). But the point of art is not the art itself. Art has, and always will be pointing to something else. It should be judged based on how well it conveys that thing, not whether or not it's "artistic." Art is not good for it's own sake; only if it helps people. Larry-Boy has done more practically for my life than any other fictional superhero. That's what I want to do for someone else. This is the way art, guided by God directly or indirectly, makes a real, practical difference in a person's life. I hope that makes sense to someone out there.