On Anonymity

Keeping this public record of my thoughts and experiences has forced me to consider the issue of anonymity. Originally, instinctively, I posted anonymously. The more prudent route. Eventually, two things inclined me to reconsider this choice. First of all, several discussions with friends lead me to wonder whether anonymity or exposure presents a greater obstacle to honesty. Also, as my ability to play the saxophone and compose music resurfaces, I have thought about the role that these writings, thoughts, experiences have in my art.

Honesty

Issues concerning anonymity and honesty occur to me along along two dimensions. The first is the conflict of interest. Situations in which one's public association with writing could affect what is written. The second is accountability. By having to put one's name on an argument, a writer must carefully consider what is written. Perhaps this extra validation serves a purpose besides to create conflicts of interest, forcing the writer to refine an argument, making sure that he/she will be able to defend it.

Faceless writing removes many conflicts of interest. Firstly, it affords a writer the ability to put aside his reputation. Without fear of exposure, a writer needs not fear the specter of association with any particular thought or view. Everything is on the table.

Equally important, in more personal writing, anonymity removes the incentive to lie for vanity's sake, underplaying shortcomings, overplaying achievements. The writer can lay bare his life, knowing that he/she isn't going to gain or suffer in life for having depicted himself/herself in any particular way.

On the other hand, an exposed writer can benefit from the added scrutiny that accompanies taking credit for one's work. Having his/her identity tied to his/her writing could actually serve to keep a writer honest. In the absence of any consequences for flawed arguments, to what standard is a writer held? Exposure and the accountability it entails could force a writer to refine arguments, trim the fat off of unnecessarily heavy-handed or offensive offerings.

This raises the issue of omission. There are times when exposure and the prudence it requires push a writer to withhold an argument, point, or even an entire paper. Three questions need to be asked. How damaging are these omissions? Are the sorts of things that would be omitted better left unsaid? If these omissions compromise the work, is the effect damaging enough to override the benefits of exposure?

I think the answers to these questions are highly dependent on context. A writer in a country with a stifling lack of freedom might find it impossible to write in the open without sacrificing everything he/she has to say. In other situations, it is conceivable that one might unnecessarily aggressively attack an idea or person when not filtered by some degree of judgement. As concerns my writing about art, for example, I think the things I could say that might compromise me are probably better left unsaid, not necessary to assert my ideas.

Art

On a more personal note, as concerns my own identity, I face a consideration external to my writing. As a saxophonist and composer, I necessarily lay bare who I am to some degree. As an artist, I believe strongly in the openness of the artistic process. Especially in jazz where process triumphs over artifact, I believe that the process and all that inform it are relevant to the experience of the art. To that end, my writings, both on and off the topic of art, inform my art. Even if hiding my writings were to present no obstacle to their honesty, would it compromise the honesty of my art?

After much consideration, and with even greater ambivalence, I have decided to incorporate the former home of my writings, spinachcrazyhotel.com, into my artist site under a Writing section.