Originality Issues

There have been times when the originality of PEB as an organization has come into question.

Indeed, there have been moments of great frustration between myself and Carrie regarding the various difficulties facing any effort to establish a new non - profit organization.

In the Summer of 2006 we came to a crisis point of sorts in which Carrie expressed sincere doubt about the viability of PEB as a non - profit institution. She felt that the Virginian "market" of not - for - profit organizations was saturated and therefore we were working in vain towards creating something that had already "...been done..." on a large scale for years before our existence as an informal collaboration.

As co - founder and webmaster, I felt compelled to respond to her questions, all of which were valid.

Personally, I believe that our collaboration's being perceived as original (or not), and dwelling upon that question, is an inferior measurement of 'success' for a non - profit entity.

First and foremost, let there be no confusion:
PEB is not MTV.

However, for me, in the capacity as co - founder of PEB, to ignore such a valid question would only serve to strengthen concerns that what we hope to achieve through PEB is simply unattainable in a rural area.

Frankly, I cannot, and never have, claimed that there is inherent originality in the various separate concepts behind PEB; it is the specific compounding of the above concepts that allows PEB to achieve a certain degree of uniqueness when compared to other private artists or art - related groups.

Certainly, the expressed desire to unite positive social activism and educational extension efforts is not an unheard - of combination for the foundation of a non - profit organization.

However, pressing such an cumulative effort into existence within the rural counties of our area of Virginia, that, I believe, is the component of our collaboration which most certainly results in a fun challenge. And I would argue that the challenge presented in the creation of PEB is, indeed, an arguably original challenge.

I would contend that if PEB succeeds, it could serve as an example for other rural, culturally - deprived areas; for individuals living in such areas of America, PEB's success would lend a clear lesson: to not be satisfied with a stagnant, complacent local society. Modern thinkers with open minds need not be intimidated by the stalled out decades of decay that have been rampant in many rural areas since the reforms of the New Deal during the Great Depression.

In working with the positive aspects of one's community, the social progress which could be achieved will undoubtedly benefit numerous individuals, far beyond the confines of our collaborative members.