Monday 31 October 2011 saw the 7 billionth baby born.
There is a lot of discussion about the merit of celebrating the 7 billionth member of the world’s population. Environmental impact, social impact, cultural impact, economic impact, agricultural impact, health and medical impact.
It’s a lot of information to try and take in especially when all you want to do is have a baby. A brand new baby can highlight the short-comings that we have in this world. In reality though, does anyone actually decide to have or not to have a child because it is in the best interests of the planet?
Is curbing population growth the answer? Don’t we still need to find other ways to live on this planet?
Whereas in the same week it was revealed that thousands of Australians have missed out on assisted reproductive treatment since the federal government changed funding last year, resulting in the loss of 1500 babies that would have otherwise been born.
Is Australia heading in the right direction?
And a performance artist in New York has given birth in an art gallery with an audience looking on. The mother, Marni Kotak, said this was the “highest form of art”. I don’t discount that giving birth is an indescribable experience, I’m not sure it’s an artform.
I don’t particularly care that Ms Kotak decided to give birth in an art gallery; childbirth should not be kept behind closed doors as it were; which is why I love the television series One Born Every Minute.
Is childbirth an art form? Is it an expression of you, the mother and artist; or even the father? Maybe I’m missing the point. I would love to hear your thoughts on this one.
Yai for 7 billion, and I really do think that curbing the birth rate is not going to make much of a difference. If we still trash and abuse our planet what does it matter how many of us are here? People’s attitudes need to change to make our planet more sustainable, but doing the right thing in regards to waste management etc is costly so lets blame it on the babies *smacks forehead*
Hmm, child birth as an art form??I don’t think so. Child birth is a beautiful thing,truly, it can be an empowering experience for the mother and their partner, but I think the real artistry occurs in the womb. The birth part although some believe it can reach orgasmic levels is merely a process, albeit a very long, draining, tiring, fricken painful process to bring the little person you’d been carrying into the world. (BTW I think orgasmic births are complete and utter bollocks and whomever drew similarities between orgasms and contractions needs to go get themselves sorted! IMO)
Being an artist, mean that you have a unique talent to create and evoke a response from people,child birth is something nearly everyone can do or be involved in and doesn’t require any real talent. I also think saying that the labouring and birthing process is an art form takes away from the beautiful baby that’s been created within you and then brought into the world. That’s just my opinion mind you, this lady obviously feels otherwise and if she was okay with a gallery full of people watching her squeeze a person out of her then more power to her…
I like what you said about a unique talent and to evoke a response, that kind of gives me food for thought. Every birth is unique and they certainly evoke a response. Unique talent, you’re right that’s how we perceive our artists but I don’t have a unique talent; I birth just like every other mother to be so yeah, maybe that’s the missing link.
As for the orgasmic birth, it’s not similarities between contractions and orgasm it’s when the baby passes through the birth canal and can come into contact with the G-spot. That’s the orgasmic part.
I wrote a post about it here http://www.mumsword.net/give-birth-have-orgasm/
I did have one lady comment saying that it happened to her.
Love & stuff
Mrs M
Giving birth an art form? Hmmm. I do like the closed circuit video from a newsagency in the UK? they had on the news of a woman who gave birth and didn’t even realise. They captured it on video as the child landed into her trackies while she stood perusing the reading materials. Now that’s impressive. 🙂
I think I need to find this video. How can you not know? I mean I’ve read stories where ladies have not known they were pregnant until they were in labour but it still boggles my mind.
Love & stuff
Mrs M
I know diddly squat about art. I just know what I like. And I don’t think I’d necessarily like to see child birth happening in an art gallery.
There’s all sorts of weird, wacky and wonderful things that I’m sure many people (other than myself) who are happy to recognise as art 🙂
Just for weird and wacky maybe I can collect my amniotic fluid splat it onto a canvas and call it art. Who wouldn’t want to see that?
Love & stuff
Mrs M