I’m a fan of the Rolling Stones. I went to their “Bigger Bang” concert in Budapest and had a blast. One of my friends knows about this strange worshiping of sixty year olds. To celebrate this somewhat freaky phenomenon, she once bought me a Stones tie. This garment was supposed to give me a rock ‘n’ roll appearance. Truth be told, I hated the thing. Only wore it once, for guilty consciousness-minded reasons.
Why did I hate that piece of merchandise? Were did it go wrong? I realized the tie represented imitation instead of inspiration. The tie transformed me in ‘just a fan’, rather than somebody who wants to do great things himself as well.
When wearing the red-silver tie, I let other people know that I dig the Stones. That’s it. Not satisfying enough, if you’d ask me. I rather listen to their music, rave at their gigs, and then take these experiences as inspiration for making beautiful things myself.
I want to learn from the Stones how to provoke, how to deal with fierce critics, or write stories based on their lyrics. A 21st century interpretation of Satisfaction, you name it.
By preferring inspiration above imitation, you create more value. Instead of just being a passive fan, you’ll turn inspiration into new forms of art, music, literature, blogging, or food.
Yes, food. Do you know those aprons with a black and white picture of an ‘Italian mamma’? Well, instead of walking around with a ‘mamma’ on your chest, you can better give a modern twist on traditional Italian dishes. That will make you a re-invented Italian mamma, which is obviously more exciting than a black and white picture.
What if Damien Hirst would've just bought a Warhol wallet instead of using the famous artist's work as the inspiration for his famous diamond skull?
Further reading about creativity
- Hugh McLeod from Gapingvoid.com: How to be Creative
- TED: Inspired talks by the world’s greatest thinkers and doers
- One of my heroes is Timothy Leary, he once said that the Internet is the new LSD.
I attended dozens of art classes, listening to various kinds of music I hold dear to various moments in my life. You know I am a music fan right? I worked in 2 vinyl shops, and I can tell you… Nothing ruins that specific artsy feeling more then being attached to a mass by someone. They can call you part of a type of people, or identify you with something you don’t like. Or even worse, by the people you connect with in your life. I always believed that creativity floods from separation, but you touched a interesting angle here; becoming one with the masses might give one the filling of collective limitation too.
PS: I went to that tour of the Stones too!
Thanks for the interesting comment Joop. I know what you mean. I think that when you deliberately try to stand out, and follow you own style radically, people can’t match you with a stereotype anymore. That’s another reason why merchandise is a no-go ;-)
Ik zeg: twee jonge ouwe mannen!