What was it?..... Shia Labeouf. Yes, you read that right. I said Shia Labeouf. I am a long time fan of his work, and I had come across the #Introductions performance which led to other performances that I wasn't aware of because we had been without internet for a bit. I started reading about the Metamodern Manafesto by Luke Turner and listened to several interviews by Shia Labeouf talking about the work that he's been doing. I began to consider what metamodernism actually is, and wondering whether or not these performances are sincerity or irony. I came to the conclusion that it didn't really matter either way, because either way conforms to metamodernism in every way. But this isn't the point. The point is Shia Labeouf and his astounding mind that most have not considered.
I for one love people with complex mental processes and find them terribly interesting. Labeouf particularly amazes me as I've seen this person grow into someone who has a true interest in genuine connection, and will become the only celebrity in history to be famous for being normal... human. Anyone who has kept up with his career will see that he has gone through some major existential crisis and feels everything very deeply. He's that child we use to be grown into the adult we should be, still carrying that flame of inspiration and child like curiosity about the world and how we interact. He is what is known as a "Method Actor". This means that anything he can do to get as close to the role as possible he will do, such as dropping acid, getting drunk, having a tooth removed, scarring his face, and plenty of other things to literally become the thing he is trying to express. What he says about his acting is this.. "All I do for a living is just open up and let you look, so it's all me up there.".."The only real thing I'm good at is baring my soul." I believe this because through all of my research on this person, all I can see is a human, in tragedy and joy, feeling every experience as if it's his last. In this, I find genuine inspiration coming from someone who had declared "I am not famous anymore" with a paper bag over his head on the red carpet due to the pressures of constantly being followed by paparazzi, having all of his mistakes exposed and never being able to live a normal life. He has come from that to declaring that he WILL bare his soul for all to see and I see him living up to that in the most normal ways possible.
This may not make much sense to anyone else, but he truly inspires me to do exactly what it is I have been wanting to do my whole life, and to never give up on that. From his experience I've learned that I must embrace every experience regardless of what that experience is, and to accept my feelings so deeply without regret or hesitation. This experience that we are having is the point. The point is not to numb ourselves so that we can get to the other side unscratched. The point IS to experience! His search through this life for any and every experience is inspiring for me in such a big way.
For kicks, here is one of his latest performances.
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