Desensitization

I am returned from a Friday night meeting
Lead by Cindy Tanas of the Cindy Tanas Actor's Studio
The meeting was a discussion of the 1976 movie Network
As a group we viewed the film and discussed it after
What a great night.

The key question asked was:
What is our role as actors?
Many great suggestions were made.
I share with you my thoughts.

As a group, globally, culturally, driven by media, internet, technology and the love of money
We are becoming more and more desensitized.
They say children see more murders on TV by the age of ten than people twenty years ago.
We are losing our connection to humanity when we can turn a blind eye to the wrongs and lacking moral fortitude which innately lies at the pit of our souls.

So we turn to art
In some cases this art is the source of the desensitization  
So first we posit: what is art?
I believe art is the truth of expression coming from an individual
When the truth comes out it will be taken by some and not by others 
It does not matter, it is an individual truth shared and expressed through creativity

Under the moniker of acting what is the actor's (artist's) role
I turn to our founders our forefathers: the Greeks
In Greek society theatre provided a cultural experience where all the community came together to cathartically express themselves through the stories on stage
The Greeks held, on an annual basis, a festival of Tragedy, of Comedy and of Dionysian theatre
It was the communities job to go to these festivals so they could release their emotions and break the confines and restraints of society
It was the actor's job to provide a performance which the community could buy into
If you will it was the actor's job to guide the audience down the path to the emotion
It is the actor's job to help you find your feelings

As time went on these festivals went the way of the Dodo
We lost our guides and desensitization became more prevalent
I think this is wrong and I say that no matter which way in favour or against something
We must feel enough to voice.

To that I recall the practice of Shakespearian theatre
For a farthing the pit audience could purchase rotting fruit
If they did not enjoy the performance they were allowed to throw the fruit
At the actors, and thereby express their displeasure.

I reflect on desensitization and I think
At the least 
"Here is my farthing give me a rotting orange to throw"

Or in the words of Network's Howard Beale
"I'm mad as hell and I'm not going to take this anymore!"

Peter Finch as Howard Beale in Network