How do you feel about popular art/music/writing that you feel like you could do?

Sometimes I come across popular music or writing that is similar in style to the music or writing that I've done. I find that I often react negatively to this music or writing.

On one hand, I think this is a bad reaction. It's close to the stereotypically ignorant "Why is this Jackson Pollack painting supposed to be amazing, my four-year-old could paint that!" idea. Maybe theoretically I could have written that song or story, but I didn't, and my songs and stories aren't as popular, so maybe there's something special that I'm missing. So my negative reaction could just be due to jealousy.

On the other hand, when you're well-versed in the creation of art in a certain style, you learn the little tricks for how it works, allowing you to see the structure behind the painting or song or whatever. So maybe I have a special insight into this artwork that other people might not have, allowing me to provide a more accurate judgment.

I feel like I'm not expressing this question well but: How do you feel about popular art that you think you could have realistically produced yourself?

This is a good question

Good question.

I'd probably tend to judge something quite harshly unless I can appreciate that a high level of technique of some sort has gone into it. I judge art on the skill that went into the creation, I'm not really a great fan of the conceptual-or-whatever background of the painting/music.

I have the same mixed reaction. It's a combination of both. Sometimes there is jealousy, and other times, you could've done a better job with the piece. But you also couldn't have, because you're not in the same position as the famous person. You don't have the resources.

pretty much why i hate "witch house"

When I was 15 I got my first guitar and sat down and wrote a very basic tune that went up and downt he fretboard. I showed it to my Dad and he said "that sounds like (such and such)" and I was very annoyed. Ten years later this became a Fratellis song.

this is a question of fame, at its essence, isn't it? why are certain people famous, while others aren't? i think there are a lot of factors that go into that, talent being just one of them.

yeah, played a fabulous newly-penned tune to my younger brother when i was 15, and even aged 11 he was able to start singing the lyrics to 'you ain't seen nothin yet' over my own mawkish words. very annoying, no lies i prob slapped him.

xp i don't think it's about fame, really surm- this more often than not happens with someone you've maybe never heard of and maybe won't again.

maybe it's more about 'this person gets to do this professionally?' jealousy than fame jealousy- or is that along the same lines?

i think it's along the same lines. i mean, the OP mentions "popular" art/music/writing. so it's an idea of recognition.

this is classic narcissism of small diffies right?

this is a very fine line for me. if a popular piece of music sounds similar to one of my own pieces, i can either love it or hate it depending on whether my piece was one that i was unsatisfied with or proud of, respectively. either i'm happy that someone pulled it off better than me or i'm jealous that someone found success with something i see as equivalent or inferior to my take on it.

To be honest, when I encounter stuff like this, it mostly just makes me want to get off my ass and produce something. But not out of a resentful desire to do it better, more that it just reminds me of my capabilities and inspires excitement.

^^yeah

though tbh most of my music is so consciously derivative of my influences still that i can't name anything i've heard that would fall into the 'i think this is inferior to my version' category

Related?
Songs That Resemble Songs You Wrote But Never Released Because You Were Like 18 And Just Recorded on Cheap Tape Recorders, Anyway

There's a whole host of JCocker's songs I got very close to writing before he did.

i.e. songs quite similar in concept, often missing the bit that makes his more successful, or some such significant thing.

Actually, I did write something so similar to "Don't let him waste your time" it's not funny.

Oh, alright, it is.

xpost what Ciderpress said.