Bloom
The Puzzle
I have been trying to write away from the online presence. Like taking the social part away from creativity. As one of my writer friends says, that is not possible. Social cannot be separated from creativity. The give and take, reader and writer, the continuous exchange of showcase and responses are part of the entire game of creation. Makes sense.
But I have been trying to write away from online presence mainly because I have felt online exchanges and reader’s responses and reviews are many times not authentic and driven from social rituals of mutual validation and algorithmic devotions rather than true indulgence in art.
So I quit all social media and sometimes wonder if that is a good choice since I got to have some sort of creative outlet and exchange with the world in it but I try to be careful because I don’t want it to become any sort of validation or personal acceptance criteria for me. It is tricky?
I miss experiencing work of some talented creators but not as much, so far anyway, as to return. I also have a book coming out next month and may be this is the worse possible time to be away from social media. Not that I have any grand readership but it certainly is some little exposure of the product to the world. Also as aloof as I behave or sound, I am a cheerleader of communities and tribes and friendships. So I also wonder if I am losing the opportunity to create with others, do something uplifting for the community. So...who knows ..
I have enjoyed making daily evening ritual, after work, to write something, anything. It has been quite prolific and continues to evolve. I have been able to write without noise, on themes and stories that are close to my heart, not influenced by what’s the latest rant on social media, news etc. It has been meditative and relaxing, without any burdens. Just some words sometimes going on paper, sometimes on phone screen, unseen by the world. It’s been nice.
I am not very social on Medium either just because of lack of time and anyway since I took a break from Medium last year, readership has gone down substantially, which again I absolutely don’t mind. I like writing quietly. I love most writing on my website blog.
Yet again I wonder if I should be back on Instagram or something. Sometimes I also have some really enjoyable experiences, have written a strong piece, or in beautiful places of nature and want to share with the world but again I caution myself — is this because you just want to share or there is some sort of desperate validation need behind it ? So.. who knows..
Curse and blessing of our generation is that we have so many options to select from and any kind of information is readily accessible. So you run around like chickens without heads thinking what is it that I should be doing right now, that I am not doing. In that speculation of what could be an absolute breakthrough for you that you are not doing in the present moment is dreadful, just dreadful.
Sure I can look to the past for some answers. Those master artists who just made art in their corners in absence of constant need of the world to look at their way. But they didn’t have the technology then that could in less than a second, have the potential, to distribute their work across the globe. If they did, we wouldn’t have the masterpieces?
To want, or not to want the world..
Am I always working from a place of deprivation? Always a dog looking for some sort of bread? Without insecurities, bitterness and jealousy, would I be a better artist? With peace, would I be a better artist ? Do I even want to be an artist? Do I want to even share my life? Isn’t everything just futile, just futile? I always fantasize lifestyle of a monk, just one of the many visions. Then there is Instagram, where I haven’t posted a flower today. Really shouldn’t matter?
But the flower is here. So. Bloom. In between those lost spaces of virtual worlds and leftovers of human spark, Bloom.
For the one and a half people who made it up to this point, let me know how you use/indulge in technology, social media, Medium , nature, life?…are you a user, a consumer, a sharer, a giver, an artist , a reader, all the forms in between ? how do you engage now, how do you see the future…?
💞
Vp
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It is quite surreal, I woke up to below articles written by Roger Rosweide just after sending my above dilemma to the In My Life publication last night. These articles below are such great study and insight of related topics on what it means to create content today, as artists where and how the social sharing part falls in, how pandemic has affected our games, and what future could possibly look like…Must read
