Lately, whenever we have a free moment, we instinctively reach for our smartphones—mostly to consume content created by others. The operating system we use, the website design we interact with, and, of course, the content itself—all of it is pre-packaged and presented to us. In essence, we have little choice over our digital environment; it is handed to us on a platter.
Free Content
Perhaps, when we don’t have to pay for content, we become less selective about what we consume. When choosing the design and functionality of a kitchen for a new home, we tend to be much more meticulous—because, ultimately, we are spending what we trade our time for (money).
Other People’s Content
Content creators, especially those producing videos, can be excellent performers. They tell us how to live, but we don’t see their real lives beyond the screen. In reality, they may be far more unhappy than we are.
Our Origins
The author of this blog believes that human existence is not accidental but the result of intentional creation (or design, if you prefer), modeled after its creator. A creation always resembles its creator. If this is true, then we, too, have an innate desire to create. And yet, instead of creating, we are expected to simply pay money and consume beauty crafted by others. But does it really have to be this way? Hopefully not.
Others Are Better Than Me
There’s an interesting book called Show Your Work, where the author explains why we should stop overthinking how bad our work might be. When we watch YouTubers, we see polished content with thousands or even millions of views, making us feel like we could never do the same. But have you ever watched the early videos of your favorite YouTubers? They were often low-quality and evolved over time.
Fear of Making Mistakes
Our beloved schools (yes, I’m not a fan of them) taught us that there is only one correct answer, and mistakes are unacceptable. This approach works for grading systems and critical fields like surgery, but in most aspects of life, taking action and making mistakes is not as scary as it seems. Iterating on attempts and adjusting along the way can lead to fascinating results. Thomas Edison failed countless times before his first working lightbulb lasted a whole 13 hours.
The Creative Process
If we all have an innate (or not-so-hidden) urge to create, then perhaps each of us—no matter how modest—has something to share. Maybe we won’t conquer the world, but at the very least, we can satisfy that small part of us that longs to create and share something with others.