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Create More, Consume Less (2021)

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Re: Create More, Consume Less (2021)

#11

Post by gandalfgreybeer »

Err_Eek wrote: post #8
Zambyte wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why do you think it's "severe"?

imagine a writer writing more books than they read. imagine a film director directing more movies than they watch. imagine a software engineer writing more code than they read. imagine a musician writing more songs than they listen to. ... etc etc

I think you're looking at "consumption" that is directly related to something productive. When one reads code, it goes towards writing (and all other examples you showed); that is essentially productive

However, what if I spend more time on Instagram and Twitter (consuming that won't lead to creating) over writing code. What if I spend more hours watching cat videos on Youtube over actually learning or making something?

Consumption in this context are what I'd call "empty calorie" consumption

Re: Create More, Consume Less (2021)

#12

Post by norir »

Err_Eek wrote: post #8
Zambyte wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why do you think it's "severe"?

imagine a writer writing more books than they read. imagine a film director directing more movies than they watch. imagine a software engineer writing more code than they read. imagine a musician writing more songs than they listen to. ... etc etc

I've never heard of a songwriting process that doesn't involve listening. Or coding without reading the code and so on...

Re: Create More, Consume Less (2021)

#13

Post by famahar »

Great article. The last few years I've started making arthouse games which I create for myself, but release for others to enjoy. I don't seek out profit or create for consumers. Many people have sent me messages about how my games have moved them emotionally and how they didn't know games like this could be made. It's been really fulfilling. Part of this creative process was to shift my mind to less of a mindless consumption mode.

I'm not against consumption. It takes inspiration to make great things. Consuming like an artist is what led me to the projects I make and the motivation to complete them. Going to museums, art exhibitions, independent cinema theatres, documentaries, long form essays and videos on fascinating subjects. I still consume, but I make sure to consume high quality content. Your life is informed by what you view. But make sure to get a dose of some low brow content too. Not everything needs to be serious. But the serious stuff definitely affects my creative life for the better way more.

Re: Create More, Consume Less (2021)

#14

Post by unraveller »

Err_Eek wrote: post #8
Zambyte wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why do you think it's "severe"?

imagine a writer writing more books than they read. imagine a film director directing more movies than they watch. imagine a software engineer writing more code than they read. imagine a musician writing more songs than they listen to. ... etc etc

Being against easy consumption is less a direct 1:1 comparison of creation time to passive time and more trying not to fall into a rut of watching "progress porn" of other creatives.

Good creators are always assessing and perpetually 20% dissatisfied with their output so experiencing how others have honed their craft and made great stuff should serve to make you more dissatisfied with your own progress on your own projects. But if you are 100% dissatisfied and 0% productive then you've lost balance and are in a writer's block.

Re: Create More, Consume Less (2021)

#15

Post by Apocryphon »

kcrwfrd_ wrote: post #4
krrishd wrote: post #3

every prolific creator i've seen in practice has been a far more indulgent consumer than the average person. that, and in the chicken and egg of inspiration and production, i've found that production is usually wrung out of a surplus of inspiration. it genuinely surprises me how popular and intuitive this "create more than you consume" meme is

Well, if you spend 8 hours creating something meaningful… like working on your startup, building a deck for your backyard, creating some art, or preparing a nice meal… it is quite intuitive that you will feel much more content and self-satisfied than if you had spent 8 hours flicking through Instagram and TikTok, binge watching TV, and ordering food for delivery. So I guess it depends on what you mean by “create” and…

I think they might mean something like authors read a lot of books in order to hone their craft.

Re: Create More, Consume Less (2021)

#17

Post by Affric »

krrishd wrote: post #3

every prolific creator i've seen in practice has been a far more indulgent consumer than the average person. that, and in the chicken and egg of inspiration and production, i've found that production is usually wrung out of a surplus of inspiration. it genuinely surprises me how popular and intuitive this "create more than you consume" meme is

Yep. This is so fucking true. You need an intellectual/cultural life to be creative. People to copy from.

Imagine an author told you they had written more words than they had ever read? You’d think them mad.

Re: Create More, Consume Less (2021)

#18

Post by rkachowski »

famahar wrote: post #13

Great article. The last few years I've started making arthouse games which I create for myself, but release for others to enjoy. I don't seek out profit or create for consumers. Many people have sent me messages about how my games have moved them emotionally and how they didn't know games like this could be made. It's been really fulfilling. Part of this creative process was to shift my mind to less of a mindless con…

That sounds very interesting, do you have any links to these?

Re: Create More, Consume Less (2021)

#19

Post by famahar »

rkachowski wrote: post #18
famahar wrote: post #13

Great article. The last few years I've started making arthouse games which I create for myself, but release for others to enjoy. I don't seek out profit or create for consumers. Many people have sent me messages about how my games have moved them emotionally and how they didn't know games like this could be made. It's been really fulfilling. Part of this creative process was to shift my mind to less of a mindless con…

That sounds very interesting, do you have any links to these?

Thank you. I host all my games on itch.io. It's a friendly community that's generally into more alternative approaches to game design.

https://farfama.itch.io/

Re: Create More, Consume Less (2021)

#20

Post by namaria »

famahar wrote: post #13

Great article. The last few years I've started making arthouse games which I create for myself, but release for others to enjoy. I don't seek out profit or create for consumers. Many people have sent me messages about how my games have moved them emotionally and how they didn't know games like this could be made. It's been really fulfilling. Part of this creative process was to shift my mind to less of a mindless con…

I appreciate what you're saying here, but I think calling going to museums and reading essays "consuming" is disingenuous. Taking in information (and being in control of what we take in) is very important, but there is very little salvageable information in commercially oriented content venues.

Spending time with curated exhibits and texts written for the purpose of reflection is not 'consuming' in the context of criticizing modern consumerism and monetized media.

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