Thankfully

Proclaiming an opinion loud and clear is something many people enjoy doing. And now that the opportunities to do so have increased enormously, even more people like to do so, and do so frequently; think for example of the social media. Of course, this was also done in earlier times, for example by means of letters to the editor in newspapers.

One of the things that characterizes social media is the tremendous speed with which it follows and disseminates current events. People sometimes respond to a post within moments or share it with their own supporters in a few clicks. You don't need much time anymore to get your opinion out into the world, and many people don't take that time. Instant opinions fly around your ears, sometimes making it seem like everyone has an understanding of everything.

A good example is the - not yet realized but already controversial - artwork Kissing Earth by Olafur Eliasson that is to appear on Rotterdam's Stationsplein. After "the Rotterdammers" have taken the new station - including a beautiful, large, empty square that extends from the station into the city - into their hearts, they already have to get used to a change in that Station Square. That doesn't happen overnight. Hundreds of people give their opinions through platforms like Facebook and Twitter, thousands of people like pages vilifying Eliasson's artwork, or sign a petition hoping to prevent its arrival. People are angry, sad and outraged. A few politely raise their hands to say that they do indeed like the planned artwork.

The discussion is broad and lively with - as it goes - the opponents having the highest say. As mentioned, supported by the possibilities of social media and the Internet, giving an opinion, also about art, has become very easy.
Thank goodness for that. That visual art elicits emotions and opinions from so many different people and that in the democracy we live in, there is plenty of room to express them fully.