“Problems have solutions…. A problem without a solution isn’t a problem, it’s simply a situation.”
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Notes
Problems are solved by “surprising, non-trivial alternatives” that come from unlikely approaches. (Obvious solutions would have been found already.)
Unlikely approaches come from diversity:
- Of ethnicity or physical abilities
- Approaches
- Experiences
- Your specific (peculiar) voice
The “system” pushes us to conform, to hide or deny the unique voice. But the diversity of voice—”distinct skill set and point of view”—are more important than ever, given the speed of our world.
Thoughts
I’m always a uncomfortable when the term “diversity” is used too generally.
Here, in this part of Seth’s argument, my “unique voice” is validated. And there are lot of ways in which this validation is useful, perhaps even necessary, if I’m going to pursue an identity as a musician. I can acknowledge that the “system” seeks to silence me through conformity and fear. I can acknowledge that this “system” plays on my unconscious, which already on its own creates or supports the Pressfield’s Resistance.
I can acknowledge that the super-smart engineers, with their “attention economy” psy-ops (I don’t even know if that’s hyperbole or not), have turned me into a dopamine junkie—into an, at times, mindless consumer rather than a creator.
There’s even a subtly ironic sense in which my acknowledgment of privilege—identifying myself as straight, white, cis, (ex-)Christian, male—has become a cliché that I almost don’t want to mention because if feels pro forma and insincere—an odd form of silencing, if ever there was one.
There are many people for whom Seth’s message is important, as it demonstrates that the world that silences them is objectively wrong—that the world needs diverse voices bring new solutions to seemingly intractable problems.
But I’m uncomfortable embracing this message for myself. I do want to develop my voice. I do want to fight the system (internal and external) that does successfully silence me. But I can’t do it in the name of diversity. It’s too often, and too easily, co-opted in favor of the status quo, which diversity is supposed to be challenging.
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.