Is a comedian funny if he never steps up to the mike? Is a person an artist who never picks up a paint brush? These problems have been plaguing artists throughout time, yet in the World Earth Catalog of 1972 an opportunity to attempt to break free of the shackles that stage fright, writers block, and performance anxiety, was brought to light for the public.

    "Cybernetic Serendipity The Computer And The Arts."

     This pre-dates such programs such as Paint.net, Virtual DJ, and Youtube. The advertisement then shows a brief snippet of a human being running and then being digitally altered to morph into a resemblance of the African continent. Simple, yet enlightening for the artistic minded reader. Computers and technology have always been imagined as a product that can improve our lives. With the relationship between technology and the arts forming, the doors have been opened for computers to dually improve our society, and entertain the masses all while providing an outlet for our budding artists. Fast forward to 2013, in my house I do not have cable television. I rely on my laptop computer for entertainment, by providing me access to youtube, among other programs. This form of entertainment is the epitome of computers and the arts.

     Computers provide an avenue for people to gather thoughts and write a book, or to perform a skit and have it recorded for instant publishing so I may then view it for entertainment. Throughtout the World Earth Catalog ideas are represented and begs the reader of today to review the progress made by this idea up to this point in time. I would like to think to myself that in 1972 upon my initial reading of this advertisement I would be a proponent to this idea. I would like to think that I had the foresight to not only favor but actually find a way to contribute to the budding relationship between the computer and the arts. To make a contribution to the science behind such artistic creations like STAR WARS, special effects productions such as Space Odyssey 2001, and all the musical masterpieces that have benefitted from the computer engineering of sound.

     Artists have been provided a means to demonstrate their vast range of talents at a lesser cost of money and time. The artist is now subject to the America population for approval, removing the decision for success or failure from a single recording, publishing, or movie production company. If your youtube post is entertaining, America will tell you by watching it. If your post hits a million views, no matter if its a video of your cat wrapped in yarn, or a youthful singer attempting to become the next Justin Beiber, America will decide. This opportunity is now provided to every person in our country, lowering the hurdles that must be passed to gain success. Thank you World Earth Catalog.