Posts tagged lessons
my thoughts on education inspired by The Wire
Feb 1st
So.
Every time I walk into a high school I have a feeling that education … well … that it could be better. 
For everyone. Teachers & all kids (no matter their socioeconomic status or whether they live in an urban or rural environment).
Shit. Not could … that it should be better. And I imagine the crazy thing about educating our youth is that everyone wants it to be better. I cannot envision anyone in the education system seriously not having the best intentions or wanting every kid who walks through the door on day one to learn more and get an education.
I don’t know what happens in other countries but in America’s case we are more class/caste driven which has an impact on kids’ education from the earliest age.
Simplistically … the more affluent send their kids to well financed school systems (public or private) while lower income families traditionally get a worse education (for a variety of reasons) in lower financed systems. By the way … this is not an indictment of teachers because i believe great teachers exist in all school systems.
And even if a lower income kid fights their way through the system to get to college … well … the system is still against them. A Dept. of Education study states low income family students with high test scores are less likely to complete their studies (cross the finish line as it were) then high income family students with lower test scores. In other words, poor children are much less likely to make good then we often like to think. Oh. And the information shows that this fact is truer in America then in Canada and Europe.
The Australian Education system also conducted a similar study.
Let me be clear (and the rest of the post will focus on this point).
Kids are no more, or less, smart based on their associated socioeconomic background. A brain is a brain.
But.
Their socioeconomic background affects their ability to dedicate themselves to learning.
All that said … if you are interested in this topic you should watch season 4 of The Wire. It is the season which uses the high school education system as the main thread for the story line.
This season was so well done a number of universities actually use it to discuss the challenges within our existing education system.
Ok.
Let me begin by saying … if you truly believe in your heart that each and every kid deserves a “chance” then be prepared … the season is simultaneously hopeful, yet hopeless and, ultimately, disturbing … all at the same time.
You can see the challenges and opportunities all at the same time.
And it is an additional maddening aspect in that everyone who tries to fix the system loses.
I admit. It’s disturbing & demoralizing to see good intentioned people (and kids) repeatedly getting crushed (even though it is just a TV show).
And you wonder why you see good intentions squandered until you hear one of the characters on the show say something that is so sadly true … “This game is rigged.”
Look.We all know the system is “broken.”
And good income people can beat the system.
And, frankly, it is those people who suggest “there are no excuses for not getting an education or having an opportunity.”
And, frankly, that’s a bunch of bullshit.
Go teach at an inner city school for a day.
Shit. Go teach at any public school for a day.
“No excuses” is a phrase of blatant ignorance when you see what stresses face many of the lives of the children you see which actually are not ‘excuses’ but in fact … realities. Realities they must face day-to-day.
As you will see, for example, on The Wire is the drug addiction, the crime connected to the drug trade, the business of the drug trade, the barely functioning families, and the poverty which are realities impacting a young student’s ability to be engaged or even be consistently involved (and that doesn’t even touch upon the emotional “hope” aspect).
In that Wire season there are four boys who try to engage with learning and with school, and are occasionally successful (which each student recognizes and are extremely engaged in those situations) but their life situations just do not permit ongoing consistent progress.
The Wire clearly shows us that many kids, many good smart kids, will fail in school through no fault of the schools or of their own.
Ok.
On the other hand, on the ‘hopeful side’, the show showcases the amazing potential our youth exhibits – even in the face of the direst situations. I actually believe it showcases, almost better than I have ever seen, how young people grasp the ‘light’, even if it only appears for seconds, even within the darkest environments.
It is within those moments of viewing the season that you just want to pick up a phone and call someone and say “fix the education system” because it tears your heart into pieces to see what ’could be.’
I also loved how the show so definitively states that only an incredibly small number of students are so emotionally damaged by their circumstances that they are totally unable to respond to what school has to offer (and I happen to agree with them).
The show does this extremely well by taking a group of ‘project kids’ who are the most disruptive and troubled but showing how they are potentially capable of functioning in a learning environment.
The project is where they pull a small number of disruptive students out of regular classes and puts them in a special, smaller, class with a larger number of adults. The students in the project group are involved in the drug trade or are heading down that path. The project succeeds in two ways. It reduces disruption in the regular classes and it allows focused and appropriate attention, with a greater adult-to-student ratio, to the students in the project class.
Oops. Here is where a flaw in our existing system rears its ugly head … the program is terminated when the city’s educational administration decides that a program that is not raising test scores and that smacks of “tracking” is too politically risky. Oh. ‘Tracking’ or ‘profiling’ … swear words in today’s environment (although … I admit it is a slippery slope).
In other words … a promising initiative is eliminated because of rigid bureaucratic goals.
A promising initiative eliminated … that worked. And worked despite the issues that undermine learning in urban schools (although I would argue that it isn’t just urban schools but everywhere) like fragmented families, no families, teachers required to teach to the test, declining neighborhoods with few legitimate jobs, overwhelmed or indifferent leaders.
Oh.
And good initiatives get eliminated due to the fact that the education system is beholden to stats (or “jukin’ the stats” as the show reminds us).
Ah. The ‘stats’ (scores).
This season of The Wire discusses the statistics in that the school system needs to produce raised scores on standardized tests. As a result actual learning and teaching are deeply compromised. The Wire is particularly critical of the testing regime associated with the 2002 No Child Left Behind law in that just as the teachers (and the project class) are beginning to discover some viable strategies for teaching to the students they have to shift to prepping them to take the standardized tests. It is a vivid demonstration (albeit a theatrical one) of an empty gesture within the education system in which the students learn nothing of value and which derails their interest, and growing, if shaky academic engagement.
The system was set up with good intentions but the show displays the flaws.
The show also showcases another thing I encounter (nd this is my opinion) … that many of our schools seem to sanitize the troubling, often offensive, and challenging aspects of real life while the Life reality is that students are surrounded by a popular culture which deals bluntly, graphically, and harshly with real life reality. Ok. I admit I am not sure we want our schools to include all the inappropriateness that is commonplace in the popular culture because one would hope (or, let’s say I believe) our schools should show students what ‘could be’ (from a ‘taste of what is finer’ perspective). It is probably unrealistic on my part but ultimately my hope is that schools would teach the best of the best and give kids something to aim for (without ignoring what is real).
The balance is that the education system needs to exercise discretion but I believe we tend to underestimate what students can appreciate and understand.
I don’t know how schools and education can ignore perspective when teaching. The Wire reminds us that all education, whether you want to define school rules versus street rules or not, have to deal with any aspect of the following (I pulled this list from a formal sociology & education article):
- intersections between representations of race, economy, and criminality
- issues of masculinity
- gender and sexuality in police and criminal cultures
- the family, childhood, parenting, and criminality
- re-imagining of the heroic beyond traditional narratives of America
- roles for women in urban America (and roles for women in general)
- the technology of crime
- street speech and class-based communication
- cultures of addiction and treatment
- constructions of violence
- stress and trauma narratives
- education and class
- interest groups and issues of governance
Some of these are big emotional issues and some may appear to be “not my kid’s type of issue” to some more affluent family readers …. but these are real issues … to all our kids (so don’t be fooled by what you think you see in your own life).
Anyway.
Four features of The Wire’s depiction are particularly worthy of note.
First, the “inner city” kids, like kids anywhere, are shown as bright and curious, and capable of learning. Second, the ability of the schools to educate these children is shown to be strongly compromised by the kids’ world outside of school—their absent or dysfunctional families, their distressed communities, and the lack of any visible accessibility of the world of legitimate work.
Third, despite these negative forces in the students’ lives, teachers and school personnel are capable of making small but significant contributions to children’s educational and personal growth.
Fourth, public schools are portrayed as natural and appropriate places for young people to be in the context of their developing lives (although the particular distressed school the boys attend is deficient in many ways).
In addition.
The Wire did a great job showing us how, in a broad perspective, we are failing our youth with regard to education.
Oh. And it reminds us that good things don’t always happen to good kids. And life can get in the way of even the best education.
But. The main thought?
The show wants to say that most of the kids in school, even in public schools, would be capable of making significant educational progress were their lives and communities not so chaotic and troubled. The Wire portrays the students as naturally curious and constantly learning.
In conclusion, one character on The Wire states the issue better than I could ever.
He predicts … if we don’t solve it … “there will be an endless stream of kids who are not prepared for productive lives.”
never interrupt the enemy
Jan 31st
“Never interrupt the enemy when he is making a mistake.” - Napoleon Bonaparte
This is a follow up to yesterday’s “when you start to suck, stop.”
Why?
Well. Because that one was focused on your suckedness and this is focused on someone else’s suckedness.
Simplistically. If your enemy is starting to suck … don’t interrupt.
Once again, similar to knowing when to stop being difficult, it is difficult to stop from … well … stopping someone, even an enemy, when they are sucking.
Most people see it as an opportunity to shine and cannot wait to show that they don’t suck.
So … this is about patience … oh … and, actually, lack of ego.
Let me go to the ego thing first.
We all like to look & sound smart (or skilled at something). “Opportunity to shine” is how I put it earlier. As soon as someone starts sucking we inherently see the opportunity to show we don’t suck. And we want to rush in as quickly as possible to make the ‘I don’t suck’ statement (or make the point that would confirm to everyone around us that we don’t).
It’s difficult but …. wait. Yep. Wait. Rest your ego for a second (or a minute or whatever).
Your ego will have its opportunity.
Why wait (i.e., “won’t I miss my opportunity”)?
Well. Oftentimes timing is key because if you don’t rush, and pick the time correctly you get an added plus (beyond the non-suckedness) … people will also judge your character.
Oh. And earn some respect.
Trust me. Everyone else in the room knows the other person is sucking. They also know you are not pointing it out (or making the other person look foolish).
Look. Invariably your actions and words are compared to ‘your enemy.’ And it becomes a reflection of who you are as a person from a character perspective. And people recognize that. And they store it away for the future (because everyone knows they will suck at some point and they would prefer to be working/being with someone who is not going to leap at the opportunity to point it out).
So. That is the ego part.
Next. Patience?
Often we are in a rush to “do something” where patience is called for. Setting character to the side … I would like to remind people that mistakes are often like quicksand (corollary to sucking). Not always but sometimes.
Regardless. Patience simply means let your enemy make as many and as much of a mistake as he/she is willing to make. Don’t interrupt the possible depth & breadth of the mistake.
Patience permits you to assess the best opportunity … do you just sit back and let your enemy drown in the quicksand (always a viable option) or at some point when the depth & breadth has been maximized (short of going under) you reach out and pull everyone out of the suckedness zone.
You win either way.
And you don’t have the win opportunity if you aren’t patient.
Napoleon was absolutely a master at permitting his enemy to suck for as long as it took to maximize his opportunity.
Never interrupt your enemy when he/she is making a mistake.
Much much harder to do then you think.
Much much easier to do the more practice you have.
knowing when to stop
Jan 30th
“when you start to suck, stop” – Kristen Hersh
So.
This is so explanatory it needs no explanation.
However.
What I would suggest to everyone is that, in general, people don’t stop when they start to suck.
And they don’t for one of two reasons:
- They are oblivious to their sucking.
- They recognize their suckedness and begin to do whatever it takes to rise above sucking (only to find out that sucking is like quicksand)
Let’s go to # 1 first. Oblivious to sucking.
Unfortunately life doesn’t have stop signs (or any signs for that matter) with regard to sucking. Nor is there a manual you can read. You can pretty much only hope for one of 2 things … either over time you start to recognize your own signs of suckedness or you happen to have a really good friend/co-worker who has a special sign they give you to tell you that you suck (or are starting to suck).
Knowing when you start to suck is difficult. Really difficult.
I think it is easier to recognize when you aren’t sucking. So what I typically tell people is that when you know you are going good … and on a roll … as quickly as you can find a “period” point. I mean a stopping point (usually characterized by the fact you need to stop talking to actually breathe) … and … well … you stop.
Now.
That may be as difficult as stopping when you suck (maybe harder because it is natural to want the goodness (non-suckedness) to go for as long as possible. But. Stop on a high note. Trust me. If someone really likes it they will ask for more. If they don’t … well … you did great. You didn’t suck.
The corollary factoid?
Well. If you enter into the suck zone and you stop … well … I can guarantee they won’t ask for more.
It all sounds confusing doesn’t it?
It is.
Especially now as we move to #2.
This is where you actually realize you suck … and then begin paddling as hard as you can to get out of the suck zone.
Oops.
Sucking is like quicksand. The harder you work to stop sucking the further you get sucked down into suckedness.
But, once again, it is natural to try and want to end on a high note so you work to get there. This is human nature to try and get yourself out of trouble once you recognize you are in trouble (insert suck for trouble at any point)
And you shouldn’t.
Stop.
A little suckedness will be recognized as just that … a little. And most people will overlook the little for whatever made up ‘the most.’ But. A lot of suckedness? It’s … well … a lot. And difficult to overlook or ignore.
Anyway.
Kristen is a musician … but she said something relevant to anyone at any time.
It’s her quote but I would change a couple of things to create some advice.
“When you think (even an inkling) you are starting to suck, stop.”
The corollary?
“When you think it is going good, stop.”
But.
I guess truly the best thought in the end is just where I started … “when you start to suck, stop.”
confessions of an ad man
Jan 29th
Well.
Maybe its because I get to talk with a lot of teen/20somethings or maybe its because all my friends are cynical bastards … but I seem to defend the advertising business a lot.
And maybe because of that I thought I should take a moment and share some truths.
Because the business (for the majority) is not made up of liars, hucksters, clowns, alcoholics and smarmy assholes.
And mostly we try and tell the truth to businesses and consumers. I say mostly because I admit that there are some moments inside an agency where one of the minority (from the above aforementioned majority) find a voice (most typically with regard to new business) and says things that send a shiver up my ethical spine.
Regardless.
Some truth (I imagine this is just an abbreviated list of truths of which we could add many many more if I were to think about it more).
Advertising is not always about just selling stuff.
Advertising isn’t just a catalyst for buying (or convincing someone to buy) … it is a catalyst for how people see things, think about things and, sometimes, actually do things. I heard Spike Lee once say .. “I feel a responsibility for everything I create <because millions will see it>.” Advertising may be the most powerful thing out there to affect people. We know we are in a business but we also know we impact people significantly more than the sales numbers ever reflect. We in the business never forget this (albeit it may look like we have on occasion). Ok. Let’s just say that the people in advertising who really ‘get it’ never forget this.
That said …
Yes. Creativity is about results & awards (or recognition).
We understand what we do makes an impact … and should be measured by some type of results. On the other hand … because it is creativity we like some creative validation that you didn’t just have to throw mud against the wall to make something stick. The truth is that advertising people thrive on both. And we have to because sometimes bad advertising can generate results. And people get fooled by just looking at sales results (and not examining the results in terms of what people actually think … because that impacts future behavior). Good advertising can generate better results (and better long term impressions). And awards help better delineate between the crappy advertising that shows results and good advertising that shows results.
We like results & recognition. And we like people talking about it … speaking of which …
Social media is actually not that social.
We care about social media. Probably more than most business owners actually do. Many businesses create an illusion of ‘social’ but in reality maintain a relatively non-social business model (as defined in traditional social terms). So. The truth? The term social media has taken on galactic size proportions standing for everything … and nothing. Here is the truth. Most social media vehicles are simply information disseminators. They aren’t social. They permit people and businesses to narcissistically spew forth ad nausea about themselves. What makes the web different is that there is an OPPORTUNITY to respond. If you take part in responding … well … it still isn’t social … it has simply become a dialogue (sort of). It only becomes social when there is some interaction like talking with someone at a party. Trust me on this one … in most cases it remains at stage one (the spewing part). For the most part the current social world is a monologue.
Oh. Just like TV.
Now. This doesn’t diminish the importance of social media and the future … it’s just that the good agencies keep perspective and actually recommend what is going to be the best for a clients’ business.
Ok. Back to TV.
Television is not dead.
One TV ad on American Idol can reach more teens then a PitBull tweet. And make a bigger impression (because you have those funny moving picture thingies).
Anyway. As long as tv executives keep their heads out of their asses often enough to actually produce programs people will watch … there will be TV ads. And as long as there is TV advertising there will be a maddening mix of insightfully educating entertaining executions and pedantic pedestrian drivel waste of :30 seconds.
Why is that? ….
We don’t know what works (for sure).
Sure. There are some basic principles that can insure your advertising will be in the “good” portion of the gene pool but, in the end, setting research aside … people are fickle and clients (in general) find it difficult to make the hard choices (because they prefer to ‘please’ rather than ‘prod’ the mind) needed so that the advertising actually has enough sharp edges on it to stand out. I will say this … give a good advertising agency (not a hack agency) one year to do whatever they believed was the best thing to do and I would bet over 80%+ of everything they did would be good (people like it) and effective (creates results).
Anyway. We are probably like songwriters. We write songs and we know some are better than others when we write them. We also kind of recognize when we write a hit – on the off chance when we write something like that – but you can never be sure until it is actually out there for all to hear & see.
And we do care what people think …
We do care about clients (most of them).
There is nothing better than knowing you have created something people like and generates results in partnership with a client you respect.
Nothing.
The only advertising people who have no/little respect for their clients or nothing good/nice to say about their clients (most typical comment is “they just aren’t that smart”) aren’t good advertising people. And you don’t want to work with them anyway.
And we do care about the people who buy the stuff too, but …
The consumer is not the king/queen.
Sorry to burst everyone’s bubble but if they were (kings & queens) they could demand anything they wanted and businesses would go out of business chasing their fleeting whims.
Here is the truth. A sale is a partnership between the seller & the buyer. At its best it is a marriagelike relationship. In either case … things are balanced … with one not significantly more important than the other. And why is this important? Well. With balance there is trust. And that is the basis for any long term brand or business proposition. Treat them like a king/queen? Yikes. At some point they will believe they are one and … well … treat the company like a serf (that is bad by the way).
Speaking of how people are treated …
Creative people always have a thread of insecurity (or fear).
If people want to wonder why creative people (or agency people in general) do wacky things … well … try this on for size. Remember what it felt like the first time you were in love and decided to say it out loud? You were scared shitless it wouldn’t be reciprocated. Or, worse, someone would just laugh. Well. That’s life in advertising on a daily basis. Creative ideas and ads and thoughts are emotionally, typically insightful, parts of our soul we elected to have the kahones to share with the public. In the end no client is the enemy, the consumer isn’t the enemy … fear is the enemy. Understand that and you understand the people in the business.
Ok.
I am sure I missed some other truths, but those are probably the biggies.
Good advertising people don’t lie. Either by omission or in actual ‘untruths.’ And they actually have the clients’ business interest in mind with almost everything they do … because when a client is successful, even if an agency may not get credit, they almost never get fired.
That’s the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth (at least for today).
rat girl thoughts
Jan 27th
So.
I wrote about Rat Girl (Kristen Hersh) awhile back … and have been meaning to come back to the book and some quotable/comment-able thoughts from Kristen and her book.
Let me say this upfront.
Rarely have I found so many quotable thoughts from one book.
Anyway.
There is no particular order for these thoughts & quotes. I simply wrote them down as I read Rat Girl. So there is some spontaneous nonlinear thinking to be shared (and several other posts will follow using specific quotes).
With that … it seems appropriate to start with this following quote because I love music and I tend to believe it is one of the few global forms of communication with the ability to cross cultures and actually bend cultures …
“They <songs> don’t commit to linear time – they whiz around all your memories collecting them into a goofy pile that somehow seems less goofy because it’s set to music. Songs are weird. They tell the future and they tell the past but they can’t seem to tell the difference.” - K. Hersh
Well.
I am not sure I have ever heard a better explanation for why music is so powerful, oh, and timeless. Great songs & songwriters have the ability to capture moments & thoughts in a way that they become timeless …’ or maybe better said they become ‘a relevant time’ to the listener.
And there are really two thoughts here.
Some songs inspire timelessness on things you are experiencing now … they just express eternal ‘truth.’
And the some songs are, well, not timeless.
What do I mean?
Well.
Not timeless is easy to describe. They are of a genre and style and wording that may make it a hit today but quickly slips away into that irrelevance space that most tepid shit ends up in.
But timeless? Whew. That stuff speaks to you forever. Because, as Kristen suggests, they live concurrently in the past, present & future in what they say and how they make you feel.
You hear it and it can make you think of something that was. And you ache, or think or just laugh a little.
You hear it and it can make you think of something that is. And you ache, or think or just laugh a little.
You hear it and it cam make you think of something that could be. And you are hopeful, fearful … or just think.
That goofy pile of thoughts is less goofy set to music … and by being less goofy it makes you think … think about something.
And that is what makes a great song great.
It doesn’t have to be great grandiose type thinking … it is just thinking.
Once again … if you ever need to explain to someone what makes music the thing that is universal globally … just pull this quote out.
It is a timeless quote.
Next.
“Play a grown up ‘til you grow up.” – K. Hersh
Ok.
Let’s think about this one a little.
This was written by a 19 year old. Bi polar. Pregnant. Fronting one of the most avante garde bands of the time. And she is often thrown into environments where she was expected to be a grown up … and make grown up decisions (or maybe think like a grown up).
Putting this quote into perspective … all she really wants to do is be a musician … to create and play what was in her head.
What did she do?
Play a grown up.
I like this one for a variety of reasons.
Mainly because it was written by a 19 year old. And one who embraced her originality (which would almost presume she would balk at being “grown up”).
But I also like it because in its simplicity it is a Life truth.
I think a lot of teens understand this (play a grown up). And will do it … that is if they are permitted to and it is nurtured.
All teens contain originality. That is what youth is all about.
Some young people are strong enough to “play grown up” on their own (see Kristen Hersh as an example).
But most young people aren’t strong enough … okay … maybe ‘resilient enough’ is a better way to phrase it. They seek to fit in first and foremost. It’s the safest path. And, therefore, true originality is few and far between (being part of a flock isn’t conducive to originality).
So. She reminds us that even those teens who are grown up – are simply acting like it … that is until they actually become a grown up.
Ok. I say all this to make a point.
We adults can either nurture it or destroy it. And destruction is a lot easier than nurturing. Destruction can happen in the smallest word or action.
We adults need to remember this. Not all teens are as strong as Kristen Hersh. Most are more fragile. Does this mean we should pamper our youth? Absolutely not. But be cognizant of repercussions of our actions as we nurture.
Also.
There is a business side to life, yeah, I said life. By business I mean there are rules of the road we all have to follow on how we are supposed to act, what is appropriate or not, all that stuff we need to do and are supposed to do … if we want to get what we want. And this is true regardless of your age. and to make it trickier it all varies depending on the situation.
What do I mean? If you are 19 but put in a situation surrounded by 40 year olds you have one of 2 choices …
(1) act like a 19 year old and get nothing
(2) or act like a 40something and get what you want.
Simple to do? Nope.
But if you don’t even try and act like a grown up and you are 19 in this situation I can promise you one thing, unequivocally, you won’t get shit.
In the end? Play a grown up until you are a grownup.
Another awesome quote in its simplicity.
Next.
This one is mindboggling as she, in her own words, defines passion in life.
“I think you need something in your life that is both beautiful and necessary. A person or a mission or a place. Beautiful might not be pretty and necessary may not be understood, but, still … I think caring, not death, is the passport to heaven.” – K. Hersh
Ok.
I have been tempted to have this quote framed.
And, once again, from the mouth of a 19 year old.
“beautiful may not be pretty and necessary may not be understood.”
Whew.
That is chill bump type stuff.
Not all passion is shared. And what is necessary to you may not be necessary to someone else.
Frankly that thought may be one of the most difficult for people to grasp.
We so often set a ‘standard’ for what is good, acceptable or the ‘best’ for people.
So what happens to the people who don’t ‘fit ‘within the guardrails? They are oddballs … out of the norm or mainstream … and are forced to swim upstream.
Shit. So what about the majority who do go easily within the guardrails? Maybe they never get to see what is beautiful and necessary (what a fucking shame).
Regardless.
This quote is a big thought. A thoughtful thought. And rather that have me define it or explain it I just posted it so everyone could read it … and all I ask is for everyone to think about it.
Because, honestly, I cannot stop thinking about it.
Next.
“If you play too many wimpy chords you’re just asking for wimpy scales. Play colors.” – K. Hersh
This one is awesome for not just for musicians but for anyone in the creative business.
Shit.
This is actually awesome for anyone.
A lot of people are really successful playing it safe. Or doing what others have done. And then there are the few … those who play colors.
I am not suggesting, using her words, that it is bad to be ‘wimpy.’ Because in this case wimpy isn’t bad … it’s just … well … maybe not aspirational. And that’s okay because not everyone does aspirational stuff. And not everyone SHOULD do aspirational stuff. Not everyone s wired for that.
But.
Boy.
“Play colors.”
If you are even closed to being wired this way this simple quote is pretty powerful.
Me?
If I could have one thing in my obituary it would be “we saw colors when he was there.”
Do I believe I deserve that now? Nope.
But that is surely what I am aiming for.
Ok.
This is the last quote I will use from the book.
“Everything about Betty is huge, bigger than life. I’m smaller than life – so unremarkable that I’m practically invisible.” – K. Hersh
So.
I lied.
There was an order in the quotes … at least I that I purposefully put this one last.
For a variety of reasons this one really struck me.
And, no, you don’t need to know who Betty is to think about this and understand it.
But.
Think about this as you read this quote … fact here was one of the most talented songwriters and singers of her generation … and she thought herself unremarkable.
And small.
And it got me thinking.
That word unremarkable.
It’s a big word.
Maybe even an immense word when referring to oneself.
Maybe I like this quote not because I am as talented as Kristen Hersh … but rather because I feel unremarkable.
Not in a bad way. Just that in comparison to some pretty remarkable people I have been fortunate to have known.
Frankly … I tend to believe a lot of people feel the same way. They feel unremarkable. And maybe not invisible but … well … not remarkably visible to the broader world.
And yet I, just as most people I imagine, would like to do something remarkable.
C’mon.
We all want to leave something behind… but how do we do that when we are so small in life.
So few of us actually make an impact … well … a really big impact.
The kind of impact that makes you remarkable.
And I do think the majority of us feel small and insignificant on occasion (if not the majority of the time). I know I do.
And once again that’s not bad. It just is.
But I want to make a difference.
Is it “making people see colors?”
Or implementing the global education initiative?
Or something else?
Heck. I don’t know.
What I do know is Kristen captured the essence of our smallness in a way that was clear and concise and thought provoking.
And it made me want to be sure I at least tried to do something that, in the end, was visible.
So.
You may not like the book (Rat Girl).
And you may not like Kristen Hersh’s music.
But, boy, you gotta like how she takes some really complex thoughts and breaks them down into some really simple words.
Thank you Kristen.
to be yourself or nobody
Jan 26th
“To be nobody but yourself in a world which is doing its best day and night to make you like everybody else means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight and never stop fighting.”
- ee cummings
Just when I think the battle to be yourself ends when you have gained a certain maturity and finding a place in time when you are “comfortable in your own skin” and whatever success you have attained (which creates at least some affirmation that “yourself’ has some merit) I am reminded that good ole ee was right … it is the hardest battle and you never have to stop fighting a world doing its best to make you like everyone else.
Ok.
To be clear. I am not talking about doubting yourself.
This is about being distinct as an individual … and facing those who maybe don’t want you to be like everybody else … they just want you to be like them.
Here’s the deal.
ee never worked in an organization (as a poet he worked for himself).
So maybe he missed out on the business organization aspect. Because, sure, the world does its best to make you like everybody else but in the business world you often face leaders who try and wear you down seeking to ‘do it my way.’
Well.
Sometimes that is okay (I am not suggesting it is always wrong).
But I sometimes see organizations do their best to take their best & brightest (who are often the most distinct) and constantly do their best to recreate them in a likeness of themselves.
For young people this is often what I caution them to be cognizant of:
Almost every man wastes part of his life in attempts to display qualities which he does not possess, and to gain applause which he cannot keep. ~Samuel Johnson, The Rambler, 1750
Applause is a tantalizing mistress.
And sure. On occasion you may be able to walk in someone else’s shoes and be comfortable … but the most comfortable will always be your own.
And just as each day you put your shoes on and head out we all need to learn to put “yourself” on and head out every day.
And be comfortable.
Oh. And put on a personality & character Kevlar vest.
Because this is a tricky one in the business world.
And I do believe it matters what age/experience you are. Well. At least in terms of what issues your Kevlar vest is trying to deflect.
Younger people are still being molded as well as molding/shaping themselves. So, in general, they are protecting their soul as well as some core of distinctness that kind of makes them who they are (they may get confused at times by mistaking external – how I dress and how I speak – as core distinctness but that is a different post for another day).
But older people have a more solid ‘mold’ and have to be more careful when choosing who to work for, work with and the culture of the organization.
I am not sure this is the best advice to give anyone but I tend to like ‘black & white’ thoughts more because … well … they draw a clear line you can see when considering where to step:
It is better to be hated for what you are than to be loved for something you are not. ~Andre Gide
In the end I guess what I am saying is … if you cannot be yourself, who you truly are, day in and day out … at work and not at work … you really kind of become … well … nobody. Harsh thought? Well, yeah. But sometimes truth is harsh. Oh. And sometimes truth is enlightening … and freeing.
So. Maybe I should end this way …. at minimum … choose to at least know who ‘yourself’ is. Then at least you know what choice you end up making between what you are and what you are not.
facts and creation
Jan 23rd
“Without the hard little bits of marble which are called ‘facts’ or ‘data’ one cannot compose a mosaic; what matters, however, are not so much the individual bits, but the successive patterns into which you arrange them, then break them up and rearrange them.” - The Act of Creation
I find it tragic to watch bright, energetic youth become lethargic and uninspired in the workplace.
Yes. Tragic. Because it is such a waste of not only mindpower but, well, will power. And it is also tragic to the work company because lethargy does not lead to ideas/ideation/creative thinking.
To me? The real problem lies with the older folk (in manager positions) who seem to lack a comprehensive relevant view of learning. Or maybe better said … they have an archaic way of viewing the way it should be done.
There are a lot of leaders (management whatever you want to call them) who appear to be guilty of classifying learning as being a difficult and frustrating experience.
This is in combination with the fact they also tend to have odd views on ‘how to make it fun.’ Oh. And to complete that thought … they have a belief that they have to ‘make it fun’ because learning is difficult/frustrating. Therefore it is a flawed belief system.
Look.
Creative thinking and innovation does not arise out of a vacuum but must be supported by a culture that encourages people to experiment. To experiment with facts, with ideas and products. With the hard little bits of marble as it were.
Original thinking and new ideas has to be nurtured and rearranged in successive patterns … not destroyed and scattered.
We can all encourage creativity by helping young people learn to assess the bits of marble and take intellectual risks in their work & ideation. Does this have to be “made” fun? Nope. And it is, frankly, silly to think it has to be.
Instead this is like providing a spark to combustible matter. I am not suggesting it should be painful but rather fun is slightly less relevant than providing the inspiration to learn and become engaged.
Ultimately I don’t believe management should teach people how to create ideas.
The goal should be to prepare young people to be competent and original in their thinking.
Do that and they will create mosaics like you have never seen before.
Oh.
And in successive patterns.
(by the way … that is a good thing)
christian music musings
Jan 22nd
It’s Sunday and I thought I would write about church-going music. So let’s begin with a song my mother heard on the radio and a quote from my mother when she heard it:
“did they get kicked out of the church?” – my mother
The song? Flyleaf “Again”: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KbdCeWoEH1U&ob=av2e
(little lead singer with a huge voice)
My mother doesn’t get half the music I like but she is always interested in hearing things … and always interested in what has changed since … well … Frank Sinatra (to be fair she also likes the Beatles and even David Bowie’s voice).
Anyway.
Writing about contemporary Christian music crossed my and for a several reasons … first was when I skipped through the dial and heard a Flyleaf song I happen to like and decided to point out to my mother that they were a Christian band (which elicited the quote at the beginning) as well as I heard a Switchfoot song under the introduction to an espn gameday football game (oddly … I also heard a Switchfoot song under a radio ad for The Vampire Diaries and Secret Circle).
Well.
That is how mainstream christian bands have become.
Oh. Yeah. They are both christian bands if you didn’t know.
Oh. Yeah. That would mean they play “christian music.”
Uh oh. Bad stigma. Christian music is no good.
Wrong wrong wrong.
I will remind everyone with Switchfoot who really was the first to showcase the new face of christian music.
Maybe the most recent? Skillet. Kind of been chugging along under the mainstream radar and then their 2 recent often played songs Monster (which is disliked) and Awake (which I liked): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2aJUnltwsqs&ob=av2e
Just in case you haven’t been paying attention christian based music has gotten better. And in some cases really good. Sure. There is still some of that sappy bad forced lyric stuff out there but there is a new generation of musicians have expanded their christian view to be broader in how they communicate their christian values and beliefs.
As I pointed out to my mother …. there is a whole new generation of ‘enlightened christians’ out there who are seeking shit <music> that is relevant to their own generation.
So.
I admit … maybe even 10 years ago if someone said “you wanna listen to a Christian music cd” I think I would have just asked if someone could have stuck an ice pick in my ear instead. Today? Not so much the ice pick in the ear thing.
Christian music really has evolved with the times (although, I would suggest that what would be considered an ‘atheist’ song, Dear God by XTC – an AWESOME song – probably did more for Christian music than any song before: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hk41Gbjljfo ).
Some of the music can be really nice to listen to. Maybe it’s a growth of some sub genres but the Christian sound is keeping pace with mainstream (although I do believe they still tend to be a little formulaic with big multi chord riffs and lyrical chorus overlays).
I guess I attribute the evolution (beyond my thought on Dear God) in my own warped mind that I envisioned some Christian musicians woke up one morning and remembered that Jesus led a quasi normal life. I seriously doubt he walked around his entire life talking in parables (which is why I loved Crash Test Dummies “God shuffled his Feet”:
God shuffled his feet: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AzNzCiZwk28). I bet he had a life with family and friends and probably talked to them about the new sandals on sale at the corner market store, pimples and how much he hated black olives. I would assume he just talked sometimes (or at least one would hope or his friends would be exasperated trying to figure out the parables in every conversation).
Anyway. Simplistically the change probably occurred because different generations desire different things. So, to stay relevant, some musicians with some new ways of looking at things came along. And the good things for those writing these songs is that the reality is people do want to feel like God exists in the present, and not some antiquated relic that couldn’t possibly understand the issues of today, approached music through their own eyes and ways of looking at things.
Trust me. If God actually did speak to me I would hope he would avoid the ole thee’s and thou’s in trying to communicate something. And a lot of musicians understood the same thing.
And if you listen to today’s contemporary Christian musicians many of the rock songs transcend the intended market and reach the ears of people not completely in sinc with the whole church thing.
Here is the fun thing (at least to me). The christian traditionalists, who I would like to point out are most typically parents, hate it.
Why? People (simplistically) say … it’s rebellion. It’s unholy. It’s … well …different.
I would like to point out here that different musical taste is not in itself an act of rebellion. Each generation distinguishes themselves musically from the generation before. That is a fact. Older generations don’t like it, but each generation does it (Beatles to their parents, jazz to their parents, etc.).
To me music has never about rebelling against my parents or anyone else. I just liked the sound. I just liked how it sounded and inevitably how it spoke to me and the feeling I have. I liked what it represented as to what I thought & felt.
And while I titled this Christian music I do believe labeling “christ-centered music” as christian music is a mistake (but it helped me provide a thread for what I wanted to write about). That label implies a form that is inherently ‘Christian’ (which is false). I asked a christian friend of mine once what is a Christian. I got a nice simple response. A person in love with Christ. So what would it sound like singing? Jeez (I almost typed the ‘other word’). That’s a stupid question. It could sound like anything.
Anyway.
To me there are three types of Christian music.
1. The overt Christian band. Note. This is typically not my type of band.
This band seems to use their music/lyrics to specifically talk about god and such and is quite open about who/what they’re talking about in their lyrics. They preach. They celebrate. They specifically do Christian type messaging. No guessing games here. Let’s call this ‘all Christian all the time’.
Personally I think their stuff is often too preachy and difficult to listen to if you don’t have that faith (even though some of the music is well written and the singers have interesting voices).
Professionally I believe they struggle because there is some restrain on the authenticity and freedom to create great music. True creativity means truly expressing what is in your heart/soul. It means allowing freedom into the music which means you don’t feel the inexplicable need to resolve each song by singing “Jesus Saves” (or “I love god”) in every refrain.
Anyway.
What helps you out is they call themselves Christian so you can avoid it if you want.
How up front they want to be with that is up to them, whether it’s in all their songs or just some of them. But If I purchased a CD from a band who labeled themselves as a “Christian” band though I’d expect to be hearing about Christ somewhere in those lyrics.
2. The ‘not as overt’ bands. In other words (not mine but a Christian’s description) “the band that crosses more into the mainstream/secular world” and “taking the medicine to the sick.” (oh my)
They don’t hide their faith, but they don’t spell it out in their lyrics all the time. And some of these bands kick ass. Flyleaf. Switchfoot. POD.
These are the kinds of bands that people frequently ask about because they can’t tell by listening to the music. Switchfoot’s “Meant to Live:” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hp6Qh-wT3ys&ob=av2n is probably the song (if they weren’t a Christian band) I would use as the anthem for my Global Generation idea (although I do suggest a POD song in Global Generation 3). Meant to Live is a song U2 would have been proud writing and singing. Interestingly (and I would imagine many people would argue with me) I would put many Country music groups in this section.
3. Then there are the mainstream bands that have (some) Christian members. Their lyrics might be about anything without mentioning Christ specifically. However, I suspect their beliefs sneak out in places throughout their lyrics, whether they mean for them to or not. Think Mutemath, Evanescence, Lifehouse, The Fray. These are bands that have some faith and weave in their beliefs within their songs but don’t dedicate their full portfolio to the message. Think about Evanescence.
Oh. And 12 Stones. Remember them?
Bet ya don’t.
Okay. Remember Evanescence “Bring me to Life”? (AWESOME song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3YxaaGgTQYM&ob=av2e). The guy who sings along with Amy Lee is the lead singer of a band called 12 Stones (a christian band … and the songwriters of Evanescence just didn’t like to be called a Christian band but suggested their songs communicated a positive faith message).
Anyway.
Why do I think the first group has such a challenge (beyond the obvious thought that some people just don’t want to hear it)? Think creatively here.
Christian artists, who are overt, have a challenge. They want to meet what they call the The Great Commission (“go and make disciples”) but it’s difficult to do in a single song (let alone an entire cd).
Think of it this way. If I wanted to write a song about my girlfriend Bunny, then decide to write an entire cd about her (even if her specialty was talking in metaphors … or parables … I always struggle to figure out the difference …) and then I decided to make sure I used her name in every song on the cd it would mean I have an entire cd filled with Bunny references. Well. Figure Christian artists try and do that every cd but with god/JC/Him. And that is bad for anyone (whether you believe you have JC on your side or not).
But.
In the end, if you turn on the radio try and be open-minded. There really is no such thing as just one type Christian song anymore and some of it is really really good.
So. Here are some bands (they go from harder to softer Christian music):
Skillet
Switchfoot
Paramore
the Letter Black (a new band I think will cross over)
POD
Flyleaf (if you see them in concert you would never imagine in a zillion years they were Christian)
Mutemath
Mae
Lifehouse
Leigh Nash (ex lead singer of Sixpence Nonethericher)
Robbie Seay band
Ginny Owens
Eisley
Matt Kearney
Some of my favorite Christian songs (beyond ‘I can Imagine’ which I can imagine – pun intended – is difficult for anyone to dislike):
- Switchfoot “Meant to Live.” This is the song that probably put Christian music on the mainstream charts. Awesome song. Well written and big anthemic feel. “Dare you to Move” would be a close second: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iOTcr9wKC-o&ob=av2e
- Rebecca St. James “Beautiful Stranger” (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QgH40uV-nEc ) The first time I heard it was with the video and its impact was HUGE. As a stand-alone song it is awesome also. But with video it’s amazing. Ok. And as for a full on Christian song … God of Wonders is a beautifully crafted and beautifully sung song.
- P.O.D. “Goodbye for Now.” Powerful rap rock San Diego band. Boom is another awesome song. Alive and Youth of a Nation are also good. I actually use one of their newer songs as the anthem for the Global Generation. Oh. The opening riffs on Boom and Alive rank up with two of the best openings to a rock song as you can get. They kick you in the gut from note one.
- Jennifer Knapp “A little More” (its fun a nice folksy song).
- Ginny Owens “If you want me To.” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GocT5SAQPNM&feature=related One of the most heartfelt songs of all time. Don’t listen to it if you have just broken up with someone. “Someone Searching” is the next song of her you should listen to. Another beautiful heartfelt song. Lastly. If you ever want your teen to listen to something so they know that you unconditionally love them, consider playing “Without Condition” for them. Yes. It is about God but at its core it will share the thought of love without condition. Which is appealing to anyone regardless of faith.
Anyway.
Here is where the rubber hits the road.
Heart.
One thing I do know … artists with a Christian vision have a passion to minister to a world that they believe needs help.
I believe the best of the best are realistic about their impact but are also very open about their passion for the ‘lost’ in the world and their desire to help even one.
It is easy to slam something we don’t understand.
There are a lot of good musicians who have a strong faith.
And incorporate it into their songs. Some songs. Maybe not all their songs.
Adam young. Better known as Owl City. He’s a devout Christian who takes his faith as seriously as his music. Evanescence. Speaks out often about faith. Paramore. Once again. Christian. Mutemath. But all desire to be known as musicians who have faith and incorporate the message within.
Not Christian bands who can play music. The list goes on and on.
Anyway.
There is a lot of good music out there so ignore the ‘label’ (genre title) and just listen up. You never know what you are missing.
fearless work
Jan 19th
Creativity is a tricky thing.
Having been involved in the creativity business in some form for over 20 years I recognize that the best of the creative best are … well … part insecure … and part fearless.
And it’s the fearless part that I am going to write about because I saw this quote somewhere.
“I seek fearless work that challenges me”
- choreographer Martha Graham
This is good stuff.
This is the kind of stuff not for the faint of heart.
And, frankly, this is the kind of stuff for few people.
Because this quote is indicative of someone whose heart lies in doing fearless work.
Oh.
Fearless work means being fearless of failure.
Fearless work does NOT mean doing something wacky just for wacky sake.
Oh. But that is the first thing people who condone fearless work bring up.
You hear words like “stupid” or “what were they thinking” or “I could have told them it wouldn’t work <or be popular or be liked>.”
In my mind those are words of people who fear work that looks fearless. This fear can be disguised as a variety of things … discomfort in something new … misunderstanding … lack of ability to recognize something.
Whatever.
This is about people who actually DO the fearless work. Because people who seek to do fearless work recognize several things:
- how difficult it is (even though it may seem simple to the creators)
- how unpopular it may be
- when to stop being unpopular (the guard rails in fearless creativity)
in fact. I am going to use someone else who pursued fearless work to make the point. Kristen Hersh. The Rat Girl. One of the founding members of The Throwing Muses.
A teen I may add (just to make another point that teens can often be wiser beyond their years).
Here is what she said about the difficulty of pursuing fearless work:
“do you know how hard it is to not know how to sound like other bands? There aren’t any lessons to teach you how to do this and no one can help us figure out what <to play>. It’s hard to learn something that no one can teach you.” – Kristen Hersh
Actually.
I wish I could share this with anyone who is critical of any original idea so they could think about the fact someone is doing something that was self taught … because here was no one to teach).
Sometimes doing fearless work is difficult because you are forging your own path. There are no lessons. There are no rules. There are no guardrails. In fact. The real difficulty is knowing when to put up your own guard rails. Knowing when to stop innovating and just be … well .. creative with fearless work.
Kristen, as a 19 year old teen, pursued fearless work and did some amazing stuff (along with her fellow teen and musical genius in her own right … Tonya Donnelly).
Anyway. I think the fearless ones tend to hear and see things the rest of us don’t. In simplistic terms it is only popular in their own heads.
And unfortunately for the fearless there is only a minority who truly understands what they are doing:
(Kristen Hersh) … “but we play unpopular music.”
(producer) …
“that’s exactly what you play because you’re inventing something. You’re gonna be hugely influential.”
I do believe the best of the fearless best recognize that what they do is unpopular to the majority.
They may not like it. They may not embrace it. But they understand it. And fight their way through it.
Because it is a fact.
All the truly influential fearless creators didn’t have it easy early on. They were creating something … inventing something.
In their fearless work they were paving the way for people to think differently, see differently … just experience something different. Yeah, I know, that is what being influential is all about. But that doesn’t make it any easier.
Fearless work is often unpopular initially.
But there is a difference between bad unpopular and influential unpopular.
Good fearless is about understanding the guardrails.
Oh. Yeah. Those guard rails.
So how do the fearless know when to stop innovating?
“when you start to suck, stop” – Kristen Hersh
Sounds simple … but I believe the best of the fearless best have an internal quality control. In the mind’s of the ‘less mature’ innovative thinking maybe the guard rails are less defined. But. In the best of the fearless best they have that inner barometer to recognize what sucks and what doesn’t suck.
Oh.
And before we start putting too much weight on ‘less mature’ and associating it with age I would like to remind you that Kristen said this last quote when she was 19 (oh, these smart teens as I like to remind those wise stodgy adults).
Like I just said.
The best of the fearless best have an inner barometer. They are born with it. They are born with the guardrails.
But this doesn’t mean there isn’t fear.
Even the fearless creative people have fear.
Everyone has fear (lest we forget).
“We fear the idea of something more than the thing itself.” Steve Chandler
Fearless work means loving the idea of something more than fearing the thing itself. I imagine that thought encapsulates most good things in life. But in this case those who pursue fearless work have overcome their fear in pursuit of what is good fearless work.
Martha Graham.
Kristen Hersh.
A number of other people whose quotes I just didn’t use.
All pursued fearless work.
And created beautiful things.
And influenced how the rest of us looked at things and listened to things.
As for you & i?
All we can do is …
Act.
Do.
Create.
And seek our own version of fearless work.
And in the end maybe we are lucky enough to positively influence people.
And, at its best, maybe we actually be influential.
the silence lie
Jan 18th
“just because you didn’t speak the facts out loud didn’t erase their existence. silence was just a quieter way to lie.” – unknown 
I am fairly sure I found these words in some tween blog. I don’t remember the frame of reference but I wrote down the words because … well … I don’t really give a shit about the frame of reference because it defines the ‘silent lie’ better than anything else I have ever seen.
“silence was just a quieter way to lie.”
Boy oh boy.
That is a powerful thought.
I guess the funny thing is truth is truth … whether it is spoken or silent. So why wouldn’t a lie be exactly the same?
A lie’s existence is not defined by words or lack of words … it is defined by whether it exists or not.
Maybe I say this because anything that exists can take on a life of its own.
It breathes and lives and, well, it actually eats. It eats away at your thoughts and, if you are unfortunate, it eats away at your soul.
And if a lie exists then it does all that.
Frankly, I am not sure you can ever kill a lie. Even by eventually speaking the truth. I believe even in that case it doesn’t cease to exist but maybe by speaking it … it attains a more tangible form. And maybe that makes it easier to accept … ok, well … maybe not accept. Maybe it’s just live with it.
So if I believe that, when does a lie stop existing? When does it take its last breath?
Well.
I actually believe they take their last breath the same time you do. Yup. I believe lies are things you carry with you until the end of your days. You cannot erase their existence by ‘speaking the facts out loud.’ They are one of Life’s burdens.
I imagine we all lie at some point or another.
A white lie. A lie of omission. A lie of silence. A lie of words. I personally don’t believe Life weighs lies … like there are ‘big lies’ and ‘little lies’ … I just believe Life counts them all simply as lies.
So.
Maybe the measure of our life is … how many lies take their last breath when we do at the end.
