I’m not sure I understand why Seth wants it to be “Art”…
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Chapter 10: Perhaps You Can Make Some Art
Notes
Art creates change; “No change, no art.”
- Shipping gives the opportunity for change to happen.
- Leadership, not management
- The journey, not the outcome (not “winning”)
- Skill, not talent
- Entitled to speak (no matter what you’ve been told)
“Art is the generous act of making things better by doing something that might not work.”
Thoughts
I continue to struggle with the question, “Who cares if we call it art?” I mean, in my thoughts about the previous chapter, I thought I’d gotten past this: I said that I’d just use the definition and not worry so much about the term.
But here I am again.
Perhaps this is Seth telling a story, which is something he argues for in other contexts (and will probably bring up later in this book). If he’s trying to convince a reader (someone like me) that the work is valuable, that my voice matters, that I’m generous, that it’s not only possible but important work… well, I feel like I got that already.
What is new in this chapter, then? I guess the addition (or clarification) here involves shipping: “No change, no art” (though if one tried and failed (a real possibility, by definition), that wouldn’t make it less art, would it?).
So, I still don’t know if my recording an album is narcissistic or generous (continuing that dance between selflessness and ego). I know that I’m skeptical that my work would bring about any kind of meaningful change. But there’s no chance, no potential to effect change if I hoard—or, worse, refuse—the work. That would be the opposite of generosity.
This series is meant to capture my thoughts as I work through Seth Godin’s The Practice. It’s a book with over 200 (very short) chapters, which I hope to work through and, I further hope, to implement over time.
If you’re interested in more of Godin’s ideas, or my thoughts about them, you can check out this collection of posts. Note that if you’re more interested in the former, you should probably get Godin’s book and read it yourself; my notes will be both incomplete and idiosyncratic, and my thoughts will relate to my own experience.
But if my thoughts resonate with you, or if you think I’m just silly, I welcome your comments.