Something to Keep
“No One Can Make You Feel Inferior Without Your Consent”
Eleanor Roosevelt
A Second Look
Some of the greatest achievements in creative spaces happened because nobody had the chance to tell the artists they couldn’t do something. And when someone told the artists they couldn’t do it, they did it anyway. The first thing that comes to mind as I write this is punk rock, but there are examples everywhere. Beethoven was a deaf composer, Weird Al Yankovich is an accordion-wielding parody artist, Sylvester Stallone had a facial paralysis, and Kurt Cobain grew up in a fractured, low-income household in the middle of nowhere.
In the modern world, we need more weird people, not less. Art makes the world a better place, even if the artists themselves are imperfect. It’s easy to convince ourselves that in order to be happy, we need a hot partner, a house on the beach, and a six-pack. Oh, and that we need to show all of those things on Instagram for the world to see. Despite what everyone tells us, we don’t need to perform for others to be happy. In some regards, you are enough, and having a six-pack won’t fix any emotional voids.
But art might. And the thing about art is that it doesn’t shy away from weaknesses and vulnerabilities. Art isn’t about performance. It’s about showing a side of yourself you should be ashamed of, but by wearing it on your sleeve, no one can use it against you.
Something I Liked
I’ve been reading Austin Kleon’s latest book: Don’t Call It Art. Ever since he mentioned he has been working on a new book, I’ve been interested. I read Kleon’s previous books several times, and I highly recommend all of them if you’re interested in creativity.
Don’t Call It Art is different because it works as a parenting book, as well as a book about creativity. That was a pleasant surprise because it gives you advice on raising kids, but if you don’t have any, it helps you reconnect with your inner child.
