"The dark side of the American dream is this entitlement that 'I get to
do things the way I want regardless of how it impacts everyone else and
that's my birthright and it's dog eat dog' … That's a cowardly way to live
your life ... understanding that we're social creatures and we benefit from
society but also wanting to have self-determination … those things are not
mutually exclusive and they shouldn't be.
It's just a sensitive balance of not
being a dick. That's all there is to
it. Just don't be a dick."
– Shepard Fairey
Shepard Fairey is the influential artist
known for creating the viral "Obey" propaganda campaign, and more recently,
the Obama "Hope" poster. In his keynote address at SXSW Eco in October
2013, he discussed the impact and
potential for art to act as a catalyst for
awareness and action. He also delivered
the memorable quote above.
64
SXSWORLD / FEBRUARY 2014
