Tzara Post - Matt Tsang

In the 4th section of Tzara's 5th manifesto, called manifesto on feeble love and bitter love, he presents a contradiction. It states:

"Is poetry necessary? I know that those who write most violently against it unconsciously desire to endow it with a comfortable perfection, and are working on this project right now; -they call this hygienic future. They contemplate the annihilation (always imminent) of art. At this point they desire more artistic art."

This to me presents an interesting contradiction. He talks about how those who violently hate poetry secretly and unconsciously want to learn how to do it well themselves and do it perfectly. He then writes about the termination of something that is actually desired. This is a strange contradiction, and I think that what he is trying to say is we often say what we think, but sometimes not what we really feel. However, the idea is that what we say and what we think often contradict each other, which creates a sort of paradox because one would think we say reflects what we think.

Perhaps this is applied to works of art. We write down what we say, but sometimes do not write what we actually think and feel. While this seems like small distinction, I disagree. What we say is often shaped by society. We learn and observe others, and society shapes what we say and how we talk. The previously established systems by which writers and artists create their art often confines them to make what think they should make, and not what they want to make. This idea does not just exist in the artistic and literary world; I believe it exists in society today.

I think the idea of "haters" is a good example. Haters have this violent hate towards things they disagree to, but to a degree secretly wish they could do or have. For example, Rebecca Black and her song Friday. I think we can all agree that there are many haters who more than violently spoke out against her and her song. However, I firmly believe that deep down, many people enjoyed the song because it was ridiculous and unfortunately catchy (I only bring up Rebecca Black from recent YouTube surfing). Anyway, that's what I think the contradiction in this part of the manifesto is trying to say.