Being Consistent

I'm not the most consistent person I know, not by a long shot.  But I'm noticing that young people today---people younger than me, anyway---take being inconsistent to alarming new lengths.  So the place on the Web to which I go when I want my daily dose of (indirect) human contact is DeviantArt, which is a sort of poor man's social media exchange.  At base, it is a center for artists to display their work.  If you're a young artist, and you want your work to be seen, and you can't get your work shown in the Louvre, for whatever reason, DA is where you go.  So I'm subjected to a stream of art that's not really bad art, but art drawn essentially by amateurs, kids who like to draw or paint, and usually don't like to do anything else.

Now, that's a very broad generalization; there are lots of DA members who are erudite in their own way, especially artists from Japan, China, Thailand, Indonesia, The Philippines, Asia generally, who seem to be well acquainted with the classics; alarmingly so.  Just a quick look at some of the names of Manga and Anime heroes will reveal dozens of names happily borrowed from Greek and Roman legends, with casually swapped genders, and so on.

To make matters worse, there are countless young people in Europe and America, who are absolutely devoted to this neo-mythology manufactured by Japanese artists and their admirers, who know even less of the classical mythology from which it derives.  So there is a huge variety of degrees of consistency in their work.

Poseidon, people who know their Greek myths well know, is one of the most ancient Greek gods, the older generation than Zeus and company.  But it is quite possible that a young artist would create an artwork depicting a young, female, modern-looking Poseidon, with wings, and a halo, brandishing an elaborate sword, and sporting a holster with a revolver in it.  Well, it's all art; none of us believe (and pray to) these gods anymore, so who cares?  How important is it to be consistent about imaginary personages?  Is it important that Poseidon was a sea god, and would never be seen on land?  But people brought up on the Greek myths will wince if Poseidon's essential maleness is not preserved.

Leaving all that aside, an aspect of consistency that is most frequently violated is with anachronism.  Venus, wearing platform shoes.  Luckily, the Virgin Mary has--so far--not been represented wearing a leotard and a bra, with stilettos.  (DA artists seem respectful of religious figures from modern religions.).  The female characters invariably wear heels, even if they're supposed to be ready to fight.

You have to have a robust sense of humor to take these peculiarities as a matter of course.

Kay