PROMPT: What’s something most people don’t understand?
My genius.
Seriously though, I often think a lot about the direction the human race is headed toward. I like to believe the current materialistic, dopamine-fried culture will hit a breaking point, and that there will be a ‘renaissance’ of some description.
By that, I mean people will learn to work their brains again – by putting down the phones and tablets and engage in critical thought that emphasises creation over passive consuming.
A rise in new, independent works and mediums that eschews long-running IP that have been milked mercilessly by big corporations.
As I’m an independent writer, this may just be wishful thinking on my part, but look at the current landscape compared to just the ’80s or ’90s. New things were welcomed with more open minds, instead of the braying for ‘comfort food’ franchises that have wedged themselves within the zeitgeist.
Of course, there’s exceptions to the rule. Brandon Sanderson raised $40 million for his orginal books, which is really encouraging for artists. Original games like Minecraft, Undertale and (most recently) Pizza Tower show that new IP can be welcomed with open arms. Also, (whether people like him it or not), there’s no denying Eric July’s Rippaverse series of comics has gained a ton of momentum.
Basically, my point is that people don’t seem to fully see (in my opinion) that there will be a shift in entertainment consumption due to a combination of cynicism, fatigue and desire for authenticity. The stalwart corporations are using escapism and art for political lecturing and propaganda.
Furthermore, people are becoming more and more passive and sponge-like in their absorption of media. We are being fed a glut of content and we barely process it. YouTube, Netflix, Disney+, GamePass, Spotify, etc… the instant gratification of having everything at our fingertips, and we are losing the appreciation and value of our art.
I’m not saying these services are inherently bad, but rather, consumption of these media is no longer ‘food for the soul’, but rather consumption just for the sake of it. We are sinking deeper into a mire of ‘don’t ask questions, just consume’ (to use the meme), and this is being passed down to the next generation.
I mean, look at how many kids can’t function without a tablet or phone. Terrifying. Even Steve Jobs banned his kids from using them!
To sum up my waffling, the world at large doesn’t understand that there will be a painful process of self-reflection and reeducation when it comes to art. It may take decades, but there will come a point where we will ‘reset’ ourselves from a deep depressive spiral of fried pleasure receptors and lack of spiritual and self-reflective identity.
Independent and fresh products encourage the experimentation and discovery that our brains crave (and are in danger of losing); that spirit of curiosity that used to come from finding an interesting book at the library, renting a weird looking game from the shelf, or having an album recommended by a friend.