a playful provocation……one of those thoughts that grows while you drive and listen to the radio…..
Artist and egg discussion inspired by a Radio 4 programme about freezing eggs for fertility reasons, and the announcement by Maria Miller that “our focus must be on culture’s economic impact.” If the arts are, as she says “40% of tourists to the UK cite culture and heritage as the primary reason for their visit. This generates tens of billions of pounds each year for the UK economy, not only through tickets and entrance fees, but in thousands of pounds spent in shops, hotels and restaurants. All of which is delivering real economic benefits to local businesses and local communities” can someone please explain why this government aims to put all the eggs in one basket and crush them?
It came into my mind that artists are like eggs, and that embryos are the artists creative potential – unborn art. Like eggs, they need nurturing and incubating, kept in the right conditions, supported until maturity, so they can bring forth art.
If I replace the word women [seeking fertility support- those who want to bring forth] with the word culture, and the word pregnancy with the word society [as the conditions in which the embryo/artist is nurtured] an intriguing narrative arises. So I have quoted the first paragraph, and come up with the second.
The words changed/replaced (and some have been sneakily removed!) are:
Egg = artist
Women = culture
Fertility = creativity
Personal = economic
Reproduction = creative
Pregnancy = society
Cancer = cultural apathy
Treatments = government cuts
Storing frozen embryos = supporting artists
Individuals or couple = cities
Embryos = artists creative potential
Fertilize = support
IVF = economic
Educational, career or other personal goals = save money
Egg Freezing FAQ’s
Who should consider egg freezing?
Egg freezing can be beneficial for a number of reasons for women wishing to preserve their fertility for the future including:
Women who want or need to delay childbearing in order to pursue educational, career or other personal goals. Because fertility is known to decline with age, freezing your eggs at an early reproductive age will best insure your chance for a future pregnancy. Unlike the ovary and oocytes (eggs), the uterus does not age and can carry a pregnancy well in to the 40s and 50s. Frozen (cryopreserved) eggs are stored at -196 degrees, so there is no deterioration in eqq quality with time.
Women diagnosed with cancer. Egg freezing offers a chance to preserve eggs prior to chemotherapy, surgery or radiation. Most of these treatments destroy the eggs and lead to infertility. In some cases, viable eggs may be present after cancer treatment. Fertility preserving options vary depending on age, type of cancer, and cancer-treatment plan.
Women with objections to storing frozen embryos for religious and/or moral reasons. Following a standard IVF process, many individuals or couples have excess embryos. The decision to freeze these unused embryos may be difficult because the options for embryo disposition – how, when or if they will ever be used – can be an ethically and religiously complex choice for many.
Artists FAQ’s
Who should consider artists ?
Artists can be beneficial for a number of reasons for cultures wishing to preserve their creativity for the future including:
Cultures who want or need to delay making art in order to save money. Because creativity is known to decline with age, nurturing your artists at an early creative age will best insure your chance for a future society. Unlike artists, the art does not age and can carry a society well in to the future.
Cultures diagnosed with cultural apathy. Funding offers a chance to preserve artists. Most of these government cuts destroy the artists and lead to non-creativity. In some cases, viable artists may be present after cultural apathy treatment. Creativity preserving options vary depending on age, type of cultural apathy, and cultural apathy-treatment plan.
Cultures with objections to supporting artists for religious and/or moral reasons. Following a standard process, many cities have excess young artists. The decision to freeze these unused young artists may be difficult because the options for artists disposition – how, when or if they will ever be used – can be an ethically and religiously complex choice for many.
NOTE: There is no intention here of questioning the value of fertility treatment, but rather I question the perceived value of artists in society)
