Be Subversive and Create Things for Fun

One of the quickest ways to suck the joy out of creativity is to succumb to the immense cultural pressure to turn anything you create into a business, to monetize it somehow. I heard a story recently (can't remember where) about a woman who loved to sew, and who made herself a beautiful dress. When she was pressed to start a shop on Etsy, she felt guilty. Like she was a failure, for not making her art into a business.

Not everything needs to be transactional. Not everything needs to be a commodity. What a telling commentary on our culture that once someone is observed to be doing something well, or creating something that gives others pleasure, they must be under an obligation to create a business out of it.

I think one of the biggest threats to creating a meaningful life is this idea that everything must be optimized and monetized -- that if something is not for sale, it is not important. This is related to other messages we get about efficacy, efficiency, and expertise, which can also kill one's joy in being creative.

Part of what it means to be human is to do something just for the joy of it. Just because you want to.

It says a lot about the messages we get, that the joy of creating something, of exploring by doing, is not enough in itself.

We also get messages that we have to already be good at something, or we shouldn’t even bother to explore by making our own version; we should just buy the good thing from a professional writer/musician/developer/artist/dressmaker.

And if we are considered good at it, then we are expected to turn it into a business.

No, no, NO: to all of that. Try things. Create things you are bad at. Create things you are good at. Create things just because you like to make them.

That is reason enough, and a wonderful use of your time.