Response To "Brainwashed"

Brainwashed

#1 Acknowledging the Lizard

This layer of reinventing yourself is about the lizard brain- the part of the brain that restricts an artist from being creative, or being themselves, out of fear of rejection or being laughed at. It focuses on resistance of being artistic out of fear, and tells you to follow instructions...so basically this is about the brainwashing people receive, telling them to shut down their thoughts to avoid rejection or ostracization. Godin says this resistance is the barrier stopping an artist to hone and express his/her creative mind. In order to make an impression, you must break down this barrier.

My thoughts on this agree with Godin's statements. I'm sure everyone has some sort of creativity, or artist, in them...but they have fallen to the brainwashing of society. We avoid what would cause skepticism or rejection, which definitely stops people from expressing themselves. I've always thought this and I think it's sad. Nobody wants to challenge the norm, and going along with what you are told, or what others are doing, is "safe." In order to make an impact or free yourself, you have to venture out of this safety, "ignore the lizard" to do the work that has been gifted to you.

#2 Connect

In this layer, Godin talks about making use of how easy it is to network these days. Facebook, twitter, linked in, blogger...these are all ways we can connect, and it opens many doors. Godin says counting how many friends you have on facebook, how many pictures, how many tags, is not a useful way of using what's available to us. People get addicted to the things that don't matter. Instead take hold of what's available to you through these forms of social media. It's here to stay and has changed how fast and easy networking has become.

My thoughts: some things I agree with, some I don't.

I do agree a lot of people now just waste time worrying about frivolous things when so much else is available right in front of them. It's pathetic how people come to classes and go on facebook the whole time, rather than taking notes or learning the material. What are you paying so much money for to enroll in these classes where you can absorb so much information, except you spend your time looking at pictures that could be done any other time. Or just don't go to class if that's all you're going to do. It's another way people waste opportunities given to them.

Though facebook and linked-in and twitter etc., have created way more opportunities to connect, make yourself known, and have success, I think since there's so much opportunity and so many people are taking advantage of it that in a way it could be hard to make yourself stand out when so many others are doing the same. Maybe before the age of social media, that's how true artists stood out, the ones who persevered, acknowledged their lizard, and had to struggle to become successful or noticed. Maybe I'm wrong though.