There are no new ideas. It's true. Everything's been done. Sure, there will be future gadgets and modes of transportation that we haven't yet conceived, but in the realm of the humanities we are all doomed to repeating and mimicking the truly creative artists that came before us. What's more is that there will be no shortage of people to tell us that our ideas are not original, but rather very over-done and cliched. Yeah. Those people.Really, that attitude spans a much wider range of genres. You may be excited to have 'discovered' a band or a book or a movie or anything you find interesting. You approach a friend or family member with your new item and that person slaps you in the face with an entirely disinterested, "Oh that? Yeah I heard/knew about that a long time ago." Oh really? Well thanks for kicking me in the creativity crotch. I'm glad you were here to make me feel much less important. If you hadn't been here, I might never have realized that I'm unoriginal and far inferior to you. By the way, I have a new puppy. Maybe you'd like to bag it up and throw it in a river.
We may not be driven by it, but I believe each of us would like to be regarded as special, if only for a brief moment. We'd like to offer something to the world and be perceived as an expert or innovator. We'd like to present an idea or discovery and hear the response, "Hey, I never heard of that. Thank you for broadening my horizons." Sadly, there are few opportunities left where we can present new material because everyone has seen or heard everything.
I fear that I am just as guilty of poo-pooing ideas, but I am going to change that starting right now. In the future, when approached by an enthusiastic friend or colleague with an idea they believe to be their own; original and ground breaking, I will act as if he/she has discovered fire. Why shouldn't I? How powerful the impact on his/her self-image if I allow him/her to feel important and special. I'd be like an inspiration pixie.
Guy ~ "Hey Earl. Have you seen that movie, The Godfather? I just saw it on AMC the other night. It was really cool. It's about..."
Earl ~ "Wait, don't tell me what it's about. I'll check it out. Sounds neat."
...two days later...
Earl ~ "Holy crap! That movie you turned me on to? It was incredible. Thanks for the tip."
Guy now feels that he has been instrumental in exposing me to a thirty-seven year old Oscar winning film. Even though I've seen the movie several thousand times, Guy can walk around for the rest of the day confident that he has done his part to make the world a better place.
Another rule to put on the refrigerator....Enthusiasm should always be met with enthusiasm.
Oh man ... that is how I am for real ... that is one of the problems with my journal, at least how I percieve it. Sometimes there are things that I am familiar with, and when I mention that, I feel like I am purposely trying to take away from someone.
ReplyDeleteI felt that way recently when I saw someone use the phrase 'audience of one'. I have been using that since forever, since when I was in Greesboro in the 90's my girlfriend and my roomie noticed that I laughed at things that other did not find was funny. But it wasn't just that I laughed, but that I REALLY thought it was as funny as all get out.
So my roomie would say, 'There goes Mark, and his audience of one.' So I have been using that for over a decade. Now, was my roomie the first one to ever say that about someone? I doubt it, so that means HE got it from somewhere. So I understand (I would like to believe) when you say that there isn't anything truly 'original'. It may be obscure, but it has been said/done/thought before.
Looking in my dashboard, someone else managed to mention 'bananafish'. Have to check that out.
Anywho, I am striving to let people have their moment in the sun. It means more that they are fulfilled than that I get cool points for being cooler or whatever. Besides I don't care if you saw the latest cool band when they were struggling to play a dive bar ... I like them NOW, and that is what matters to me!!
Yup ... you should copyright and put that on a magnet ... Enthusiasm should always be met with enthusiasm.
BIG MARK 243,
ReplyDeleteYou seem like a very considerate person. I have read many of your comments.
That magnet would go on my fridge...it is a good lesson for me. Thank you, Earl.
I am shopping a book. I honestly don't think anyone has done what I've done with my book. But these assholes? They kill me.
ReplyDelete"I want originality" they say in one breath and "But what book compares to this book? How can I market it?" in the next breath, basically admitting they want something familiar.
Oh fuck you all. Eventually someone will get what the hell I'm doing!
Earl,
ReplyDeleteI have this great Idea... someone can write a journal/diary... been done I know...But, instead of writing in a notebook or diary... you type it on the computer and put it on the Internets... I'm going to call it a interjournal or maybe cyberdiary... not sure yet...but in any case I'm gonna get busy trying to sell it to the Googles! I'll keep you up to date!
As always!
John Doe
Earl...
ReplyDeleteBad news...
:(
John Doe
Oh Fudge, I would be the first to read a cyberdiary by John Doe.
ReplyDeleteJane
I love this post.
ReplyDeleteOff to look up that movie now...
:-D Anna
A good post. It is difficult to be creative in today's world, I think because of our cynicism. We lift up creativity but once we lift it we LOVE to knock it down. I might suggest that the knocker-downs deal in creative poo-pooing. It's their medium.
ReplyDelete