KEEP REAL CREATIVITY ALIVE.

(renamed for motivation, since the rise of AI)

Every artist that remembers using Paint in the days of dial-up can recall the eagerness and joy we felt from the first time they got to use Photoshop. 

For me, it was a crisp day in college when taking a web design course… (Okay, I assume it was crispy. I went to college in North Texas and for some reason, that is probably just my age, I only remember it being fall or just chilly. Could’ve just been life or my heart, idk.)

I do remember feeling excited to broaden my range, as I was always intrigued with new technology, and to work/grow in this space. A new landscape.

CUT TO 🎬:
[current day. 2022. in talks with other hypercreative people]

What I keep hearing is the same deep-rooted frustration from incredibly talented artists I have worked with or just naturally found, just living life. 

Common theme I noticed has been that we’ve had to prove ourselves to be taken seriously from the start. Mainly because art requires an imagination —something we’re told as adults is not very “adult.”

Therefore, business-minded people assume we just throw shapes and color on shit and call it a day. 

True artists know that’s not the case. (I mean, there is a well-known strange little connection with artists and suicide, but that is a story for another time!)

Anyway!! In today's app-obsessed world where "everyone can be an artist" by just dropping files and having a computer create how to perfect your precious pictures or ideas, the term “struggling artist” has reached a whole new level. 

Technology is moving FAST, and we are all rushing to keep up with it to find our place within it again, to stay connected.

As a techie, I like to explain how the internet world works with a real estate analogy. . . 

It’s like, we found this cool new place to interact outside of school, hanging out at the “MySpace Club.”

Then just before college, we were allowed into this more ‘mature’ spot, the “Facebook Tavern” (a super exclusive club, at the time). 

After awhile, FB gets so popular that they let everyone in! And now, you’re bumping into your aunt/uncles and it’s not even Christmas. (Plus, they don’t know how to act in this new [to them] venue. But whatever. Pocketing.)

You overhear the craziest conversations, from people of all ages, so you feel uncomfortable. You try to keep tabs (maybe), but eventually you fully migrate to the cooler, new artsy crowd over at “Instagram Social Club."

Sometimes, you enjoy checking out “Twitter Tales” —a fun comedy club, that later gets converted into Town Hall, just to switch it up.

Then! IG starts changing up the hours (chronological order) and no one knows what's going on in real-time anymore.

Next thing you know, you blink, and that place gets bought over by the same guy that ruined bought Facebook.

And that ZUCKs!!

So now, Instagram is a day- and nightclub. Still growing, thriving even! But slowly getting oversaturated with unbelievably pretty people and too many GD promoters (ads). 

You try to stay in the scene, but occasionally wander over to more chill/laidback vibes. Like, a speakeasy or an after hours spot [depending on your day] to get to the point of what you really need: some quick and easy human interaction, in a more “real” place.

A “Snapchat” —if you will.

(Talk about meta! Haha! Yeah… It's all become a predictable shitstorm to me.)

Anyway, these days I personally like the new, neighboring city’s vibe: the “TikTok District.” Where you can choose your own adventure —or avenue, I mean.

Like, if you wanna check out some improv or a hole-in-the-wall for shenanigans. Done.

Or listen to non-commercial music, maybe a licensed therapist, or just a person that recently started therapy… it’s all you baby!

No one will know. (Unless you share, of course. But that’s Social Media 101)

Everyone just minds their business, within their zone.

So if you like cheerleading routines, you do you! I'll never see you, friend. 🤝

Where was I? Oh, yes!

OK so all the weird, unique, beautiful human things thrive there.

The colonizers big guys with money/power try to shut it down; they can’t, so they just steal all their ideas and initiate a smear campaign. (Sound familiar?)

My point is all this has not only made humanity more anti-social IRL but turned all creativity into cut + paste culture. 

My decade-long stretch working in corp world, I saw this game plan repeated for different industries.

I’ve sat in business meetings of this ‘kill-kill-assimilate’ routine and/or ‘just save the biggest money-maker’ bullshit. 

[Quick nod to Donald Glover for showing this in super uncomfortably too accurate experience this last season of Atlanta…]

This is what has aided the death of creativity. Let’s take it as motivation to LEVEL IT UP.

It always started the same way, every Monday morning:

"What is 'in'?" / "Where is everyone going now?" / "Let's copy that. Great work, everyone!”

Your attention span just being pimped out and sold between corporations to keep you distracted, and justified only because you LIKE the validation. How cool!!

This contributes to the diluted content we are fed on a daily basis. A straight shot to your real inbox —your brain.

(Fun Fact! Your eyeballs are connected to your brain. Google “optic nerve” or ask Alexa) 

Yep! All from a space that was created to connect us all. Isn’t that fascinating?!

So, how this hurts the unique, beautiful minds of independent thinking creatives?

Creative-minded people have had to endure the rejection of getting passed over for a job to a fresh out of high school Instagram influencers* because that is what’s "hot right now." OR given no choice but to give in, accept the corporate route of false hopes, while slowly getting drained (and restrained) while surrounded by a team of Colin Robinsons. 

Well, another option is to freelance to keep your sanity and/or start your own business. (Both of which I did, just a hair before the pandemic 🙌)

You know, what's sad is true artists have been telling us this for decades. Really. I mean DECADES, y’all.

All straight facts woven within their art, be it in music or writing, yet… We did nothing.

Why? Unfortunately, money talks louder than compassion and empathy.

Many former journalists have voiced this in recent years. (Well, after getting their money to gain real freedom of speech in their own right, and I get it. And I respect it.)

We just live in a world of instant gratification, and especially after a GLOBAL pandemic, we humans needed connection more than ever. 

I'm not knocking anyone for wanting/needing that. I, too, am human. 

But what is frustrating is when I do step out into the world IRL. Aside from the straight up catfish, the conversations I hear are people’s regurgitation of information that was ‘baby fed’ to them.

No thought or research of their own behind it.

Humankind becoming cut+paste copies of whatever ‘neighborhood’ they’ve been hanging out in, virtually.

True creativity and art takes bravery. It's not a one size fits all thing that you just wake up, check an app, apply to your day, then Airdrop to those in your radius.

Personally, I think Gen-Y (millennials) are the most screwed over in this giant P00P. Like, not just creatives but all us 80s babies. 

We got fucked [over].

We were told to do the work, and we’ll make it to live the “American Dream!”

Though, it was as advertised… the monkey’s paw wish granted, in that we ended up in advertising jobs to find it really was as Biggie said: “…it WAS all a dream.”

Not reality.

The ‘gatekeepers’ said we needed to go to college; millennials got the loans and dealt (or are still dealing) with the consequential debt —whether or not they received a degree. 

They then said, now you are educated but you need work experience to get to our level; millennials willingly provided free labor. (see: internships)

Finally, after the entire world —I repeat, the ENTIRE WORLD (i.e. Planet Earth, the place we all reside, no matter what shape your heart believes it is) SHUTS DOWN for a global pandemic, we’re not allowed to have a question or two in the silence??

It left us all wondering WTF WAS ALL THAT FOR.

And hey, while we have you, we’ve also been yelling for years about other injustices, with no accountability or results… what’s that about? Because it seems like just reversing things under an antiquated system isn’t really helping anyone, just you guys up there at the top. But I digress. . .

Response: We’re hiring!**

**hiring ‘toddlers’ (aka Instagram Reels-making influencers mentioned above* because naïvety and fast profit)

How do we millennials keep missing the ball? I'll just say it:

We’re the middle child generation —neglected and blamed for everything.

What can we do as we see our older sibling (Gen-X) say that we're all complaining for attention, while they then fight our younger sibling (Gen-Z) over how much of that attention they get and how much easier they have it (remember, they grew with up iPads/YouTube and any "cute" things they did was instantly rewarded, monetarily.) 

—but no, millennials are the assholes stuck between a rock and a hard place. 

This set humanity to a standstill. 

I mean, lack of creativity is why we have the same films “refreshed” and released every f’n year. (Oh, yeah. Cuz fuck your nostalgia too. That's also for sale to keep you in a security blanket trance)

Your recycled past is more valuable than your recycled trash tbh. Talk about a waste!

Nothing new.

Ahh, look. I'm not trying to be a “negative Nancy” (haha!) because I do have some hope. Not a lot, but it exists.

When coming from my strolls (aka ‘scrolls’) in the “TikTok District,” I noticed something: All generations come together to vent, share, and inform each other in peace. 

I even recently found this ’unheard of peace’ IRL too, when in vacation in Aruba.

(Note: I’m aware this is what I see. I know how algorithms work. But I'm not on the app for validation. So my choices and activity show me the glimmer of good I see left in humanity today)

So, yes. Some hope.

Also, I truly hope this read helps encourage you to talk to the lost, "read one-caption, so that's gotta be a fact" people in your life this holiday season.

Look. Just as, once upon a time, our grandparents thought TV was legit magic, they should be informed of the magician and the magicians assistants at play today —so help them find the tools to find truth / reality.

Also, please stop giving into the illusions. 

Life is messy! And so is your room, mirror, bathroom, maybe even your car (I don’t know!) All I do know is: it doesn’t matter. 

Who you are as a HUMAN BEING does.

End of day, we’re ALL human. It's okay to just BE.

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• bundle of inspo + references:

▶ CRAZY P — The Witness

• “right now, the system is attempting to evolve humanity through technology
  so, we can live in the Orwellian, brave, new, smart grid that's being built around us
  this means that people who are already asleep in a society,
  largely run on falsity and deception
  (illusions…) illusions, will be taking a step further away from themselves
  of reality (reality…)”

▶ KENDRICK LAMAR — N95

• “who you think they talk about? talk about us (you outta pocket—)
  who you think they copy off? copy off us! (get back in pocket)”

• “you entertain the mediocre, need to stop it (this shit hard)
  you entertaining old friends when they toxic (this shit hard)
  what’s your life like? bullshit and gossip (this shit hard)”

  • — Rich Spirit

    • (ayy) peacemaker, but I'm not naive, brother
      (ayy) gotta watch your homies and police, brother
      (ayy) clout chasing hell of a disease, brother
      I'm fasting four days out the week, brother
      I pray to God that you realize the entourage is dead

    • I pray to God you actually pray when somebody dies
      thoughts and prayers, way better off timelines
      false claiming, not cute, I'm mortified
      the new Earth in hot pursuit, two-hundred lives

  • — Mr. Morale

    • I'm sacrificing myself to start the healing and...
      shit on my mind and it's heavy
      tell you in pieces 'cause it's way too heavy

    • who keep 'em honest like us?
      who in alignment like us?
      who gotta heal 'em all? us (us)
      when there's no one to call us (us)

  • United in Grief

    • I went and got me a therapist
      I can debate on my theories and sharing it (woah)
      consolidate all my comparisons
      humbling up because time was imperative (woah)
      started to feel like it's only one answer
      to everything, I don't know where it is (woah)
      popping a bottle of Claritin (woah)

▶ CHOKER — Tape: Side B

• “no ideology explains
  just some orders in advance
  I'm not easily persuaded
  (distortion)
  still sorting my moods out …”

• “I remembered most days till I learned they're all the same
  that's just me, that's just me
  I can only blame, yours truly
  I can only claim, yours truly”

▶ OUTKAST — War

• “as I struggle to keep my balance and composure
  I'm supposed to propose a toast to players on every coast
  the lyrical roller coaster, mind-bender…
  instead of watching these sucker MC's
  I'm seeing just how they lying to the general population
  don't be patient, get up and stand up for your life
  don't you agree or understand, we lost some rights at …”

• “when will we all awake up out this dream
  come here and smell the Folgers, the soldiers are HUMAN BEINGS
  man acting as if he was the supreme being
  clocking the souls of men out like he was G-O-D and …”

• “politicians, modern day magicians …”

▶ FRANK OCEAN, ANDRÉ 3000 — Solo (Reprise)

• “solo, my cup is a rojo🥤; my cholo, my friend

  so low that I can admit

  when I hear that another kid is shot by the popo

  it ain't an event, no more …”

• “…so low, that I can give a fuck about what is trending

  trying to cut down on my spending

  regardless of winning, instead of pretending

  and bending over backwards

  over half of these hoes had work done

  sayin' they want something real from a man

  just saying it, we being real persons

  I hate that it's like this, I feel for you, and …”

• “so pardon me if I am being insensitive

  but darling, this only worsens…

  so low, my halo stay way low, it feels like it's bent …”

• “after twenty years in, I'm so naive I was under the im—

  'pression that everyone wrote they own verses

  it's coming back different and, yeah, that shit hurts me …”

• I'm humming and whistling to those not deserving

  I've stumbled and lived every word…

  WAS I WORKNG JUST WAY TOO HARD?”

▶ BO BURNHAM — Welcome to the Internet

• “apathy’s a tragedy and boredom is a crime,

  anything and everything all of the time”

  • How the World Works

▶ SCHOOLBOY Q — THat Part (feat. Kanye West)

• me, no conversate with the fake (that part)
  all my bitches independent bitches (that part)
  I just want the paper (that part)
  all my bitches flavored (yeah, that part)

• That part, that part, that part, that part, ayy!

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