Depending on your description of artist, I might be one. And as an aspirant to that title/curse, I am sick of form being cherished over function.   Or, as it is decried in hip-hop: "talking loud and saying nothing". I am tired  of poetry that is nothing but "pretty" adjectives and "artfully" used -ly adverbs. It is rare that I meet a peer who agrees with me that it is only through nouns and verbs that ideas are expressed and that an aproximation of life. Example: today Amy and I went to eat, and I saw a woman  who was dressed like fruit-on-the-bottom yogurt. And while this is not the deepest think I have thunk, I believe it goes a ways toward making a point.  The fact that her shorts were "dark magenta", and her blouse was "blindingly starched white", are worthless exposition, and my yogurt metaphor also allows an echo of her personality and style, which was a the crass mid-class pretention. And Amy, herself a good poet, didn't get it, she blames the drugs. Shrug.  Then again, I am happy with my pillows although they are shedding so much stuffing that I wake up looking like Einstein every morning.

Anthony, 25
Baton Rouge, LA

What? You mean, do I buy fake nails so that I can't pick anything up on my own because they get in the way? I guess the closest thing to that is growing my hair out. It gets in the way, but I haven't chopped it off yet.

Karen, 20
Marshelltown/Ames, IA

After years of wearing sensible and comfortable shoes, because I did lots of walking, in the last year I have worn shoes that ar neither comfortable or semsible, but rather fashionable. This is what driving so much does to a person. Makes them decide to wear the torture platform sandle because they look hip, bur feel like hell.

Felicia, 34
Somerville, MA

William Morris said that you should fill your home only with objects that you know to be useful or believe to be beautiful. The best, of course, are both.

Jane, 60
West Linn, OR

Could you explain the question to me? I don't understand.

Melodi, 19
Hlliard, OH

Hmm, that seams like another phrase for "style vs. substance". I believe that you shouldn't have to trade one for the other, but both are separate things that compliment each other. If you're asking me what is more important, I'd say function or substance, but once you have something that does the job, you want to put a lot more work into style or form. To put it simply, I think there's a reason why a dodge viper cost more than

Socrates One
Lowell, MA

It depends on the activity! I'm a perfectionist a lot of the time, so form is usually important to me. However, if it is an activity that I'm not that interested in, then form takes a backseat to function. Like my husband's birthday cake for instance. I'm not much of a baker, but I made it from scratch - frosting and all. It tasted amazing, but it was soooo ugly!

Really hideous! I didn't really care about "form", but it served its purpose

Susan, 31
Chicago, IL

At my age, with the complications in my life, function seems to supersede form with distressing frequency. I console myself with the established wisdom that true beauty is intangible. Then I nibble and add to the too-too solid flesh.

Jill, 59
Saylorsburg, PA

I'm all about function, especially now that I'm dismantling my apartment.  Packing has made me realize how much useless crap I have!

Amy, 23
Baton Rouge, LA

Somewhere arround pie, right? or the paradox of thrift? damnit, I knew i should have paid attention in math class instead of just sitting in the back making out with my boyfriend.

Jaden, 21
Brampton, Ontario CANADA

I am rather practical. If it doesn't function, then what is the point. But hey, why not have some beauty too!

Kathy, 26
Garden City, MI

uhhhhhhhhh. . . ..I try not to. . . I love superficial things. . .

.appearances are very important to me. . to some extent at least,

they

reflect the "true" reality underneath. . .(at least enough for me. . .) at

the end of the day, however, I'm a realist and function is the bottom

line. .

mothmc 35

Los Angeles LA

USA

6/29/00 When it concerns tooth brushes.

I just like normal functional tooth brushes but all I find are the

double

hinged, triple bristle left handed motorized blue baking soda

enamel buffers

Jami 27

Lowell MA

6/29/00 Being a slight masochist I lean towards form and force it to function.

Alias Irrelevante

Yesterday / Tomorrow