AntagoVision: The Antagonist Manifesto

Inspired by international organisations who possess the financial resources and the perverse inclination to throw costly, dedicated research resources to the task of discovering trivialities masked as crucial information and business intelligence, The Antagonist also whacked the words "The Antagonist" into a Google search box, using a version of Mozilla's Firefox, which threw back a link to a rather interesting bit of writing called The Antagonist's Manifesto over at antagovision.com.

Full credit and much respect to the author(s) of this little gem:

ANTAGONIST MANIFESTO

The world is divided into three sectors. The Antagonist = creation. The Protagonist = potential. The Commercialist = parasite.

Life is a circle. The only way to break outside this circle - short of death - is to create. The Antagonist will do whatever it takes in order to create; for crime is art, art is crime. However, he does not break laws merely to cause crime, rather when they impede his ability to create.

The Antagonist's greatest challenge is the dreaded "IF." He is at war at all times and on all fronts with "IF." IF he fails, IF he succeeds, IF he is laughed at does not matter. "IF" must be destroyed.

The Antagonist is not lead by his ego, but instead by his creativity. There is no standard form or medium for this creativity, save for the exception that the piece should provoke its audience. Titles like artist, writer, or actor are secondary to The Antagonist's creative output. Blue or white collar, he is not defined by his socio-economic status, or even his art. All titles are equal. It is his drive and persistence to create that defines him. Art must not rely on ego, but on strength.

The exploitation of the creative is not the standard of art. Though he may sell his art for profit, The Antagonist, emphasizing the process, does not create with the initial intent to produce a "product." Creativity may be kept to one's self; it does not have to be displayed. The Antagonist's work is born unto the world, celebrates a useful existence, and then dies. Only The Commercialist produces intending to reap economic benefits. The Antagonist and The Commercialist are in opposition, with The Protagonist straddling the fence between the two. The Antagonist trains his mind to see differently than The Protagonist and The Commercialist. He pushes The Protagonist to action and is the essence of creativity.

The Antagonist is good for the kids, good for the community; yet he may find himself in direct conflict with commercialism, opportunism, or the powers that be. They will threaten or attempt to inhibit his creative output. The Antagonist represents a threat to the system around him, and must seize upon this power to use the system against itself. Any resource, material, or tool of the system to which The Antagonist has access - authorized or not - should be used to further his work.

In the end, The Antagonist creates.