Welcome to The Smoking Room

 

 

'Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not to his own facts.'

– Daniel Patrick Moynihan*

 

Smoke & Mirrors.

 

If the mirror is the distortion, the smoke is the flat out lie. We already live in the Smoking Room. Our objective is to leave.

 

This branch of Mirrorism seeks:

 

• Dissent: Art without argument is art without purpose.

 

• Honesty: Truth is subjective, facts are not – two artists can use the same facts to construct radically different truths, but this is only legitimate if facts are honest. To step outside the Smoking Room, we need to separate fact from fiction.

 

• Engagement: Mirrorism is a response; in confronting lies and distortions we implicitly accept their real-world impact. But from those opposing us we demand argued responses instead of reactionary countermoves. In this way, we will break meek acceptance of grand narratives; they will be fought over and fought for.

 

• To Break the Contract: Distorted narratives thrive due to the passive acceptance of a false majority. As minorities have rejected their placement in grand narratives it is time for this ‘majority’ to do the same. The members of the false majority are not oppressed but neither are they represented.

 

 

*Interestingly this is a disputed quotation.