Brainwashed

In Seth Godin's article, "Brainwashed: Seven Ways to Reinvent Yourself" he outlines several tools that are available to anyone seeking to reinvent themselves.



"Acknowledge the Lizard", despite its seemingly strange title, presents a very intriguing point regarding artistic fear(s). No matter what we create, we want people to embrace it and appreciate it; at the first sign of disproval, our inherent artistic insecurity begins to eat at us.

In the "Connect" section, we learn that now is the time to strike; the modern surge of social media has brought much, much higher connectivity than humans had in the past.

"Be Generous" urges us to do just that. Even by doing something out of the kindness of your own heart, you are perpetuating the "tribal economy of individuals supporting one another".

To forward these ideas and connect them to my own creative efforts, consider this blog that I've been doing all quarter. Isn't Blogger itself a perfect example of "Connect"? Prior to the Internet age, how could I so easily voice my opinions to possibly be read by complete strangers? In this sense, blogging (and several other forms of Internet communication) is the modern, souped-up version of writing on bathroom walls. It is a legitimate way to publish original ideas, hopefully reaching as many people as possible. "Connect" essentially tells us that the problem of isolation is something of the past. The only thing standing between us and a breakthrough is effort. In this Internet age, we seem to be losing some amount of deep connection with family and friends, but that is balanced by the general gain of connectivity.

I really like the idea behind "Be Generous". It seems like less and less often that I hear about someone doing something "for the love" and/or completely detached from monetary gains. Anything can become a viable source of money nowadays, whether it's from advertising, sales, or subscription. This has taken the "love" (just the organic, raw, intriguing feeling surrounding a production) out of many art pieces. I think the biggest cause of this is the change in motive for artists; rather than asking, "What is the best way for me to share this with people?" the more popular question has become, "What is the best way for me to make money from this?" A return to the "primitive" idea of sharing ideas and art for free would be a great thing, but I don't think it will ever happen.

It's time to acknowledge this lizard. In Godin's summary of the lizard brain and "the resistance", he notes that the only thing holding people back from tapping into their artistic side is this "lizard brain" which has several natural fears. I certainly agree with him on this point. I feel like I am better off artistically after reading this article; it's not like I will throw my inhibitions to the wind and churn out a catalog of artistic works, but I will be better off by recognizing that I do have a fear of failure. Ignoring this skepticism is the key to finding true talent within yourself.

So, maybe these blogs aren't the most moving work I've done. I think they have definitely guided me in the right direction to becoming a more creative person.