"Good Grief"

"The Conversation" by David Hockney

This week I want to talk about storytelling. Or rather I want to talk about the grift and the annoying nature of storytelling. We'll be discussing it in the context of interpersonal relationships, creative "engines", and in consumerism. Storytelling otherwise is cool and entertaining through mediums like television, movies, and books. I just want to make that clear. It'd be crazy if I jumped on here and denounced entertainment in its entirely. Anyway, let's get into it.

You know the person you meet at a bar or a party that tells you their life story when all you did was ask them about their hometown? That person is who the first part of this blog is dedicated to. I'm telling you right now, this part of the blog is guaranteed to be me venting about how annoying these people are, so if that's you either learn about yourself or move on. Moving forward... If you're still here we're going to call this person, the "origin story guy". They're the person who'll jump at any opportunity to tell the story of their life and why they're better off for it. A part of me is like ok bro you got it, like I'm happy for you but if you think I left my house today expecting to hear about your heart adversities you're crazy. We're at a bar! Again, good for you, but ultimately who are you? Where are my friends? It feels like these people are only looking for a vessel to trauma dump on. Like that's their motivation to socialize. Hard as I try it doesn't make sense to me. Go to therapy my guy, your talents are needed there, not in the streets. I get it, you feel like the struggles you went through made you who you are today. That's true for so many people who haven't internalized it to this level. Take from their playbook I think. I do want to clarify that it's different when you get in a deeper place naturally. I've had plenty of conversations with strangers that went to a deeper place, but there was a natural progression to the conversation. I hope y'all have a clearer understanding of what I mean by storytelling. I'm happy I got to vent, but now I want to get into the artistic side of telling your story. I have way less malice for this action so it shouldn't be as hate filled.

Promo from "Curb Your Enthusiasm"

Art is amazing and knows no bounds. Setting limitations on artistic expression isn't ideal for art and creatives at any point in history. You might be wondering how this ties into the idea of storytelling. The issue I have with storytelling and artists is reserved for those who focus all their creative energy into their story. I want to make it clear again that creating art inspired by life events or your story isn't inherently corny or weird. It's when one, you try to use it as a selling point, and two, you exclusively create within the walls of your lived experience. A few years ago, I was at a pool with some friends, I was talking to a guy about my clothing brand and my general background. After learning I was Liberian, he insisted that I should create clothes and concepts around my nationality. I shot that shit down immediately. Why would I want to create around something that's ultimately limiting as a concept? I love being Liberian, but absolutely 0% of my creative energy is inspired by that fact. Even if it was it would be ok as a collection or two, but NEVER as a creative focus for my life. I feel like when you create around your story it can pump out some amazing stuff, but it can also be extraordinarily limiting. In other words, I don't trust that it's a sustainable approach to creative expression.

What inspires you? What's a random thing you can think of in your head that is completely divorced from the highs and lows of your life? Use your creativity outside of your lived experience! You're creative whether or not you choose to paint a photo of the memory from the first time you ate ice cream. You have to show the world what's in your mind beyond memory! It just feels too easy to exclusively create around what know so entemently. Ok, I'm getting a little too passionate, let me calm down. But seriously, are we really going to sit here and act like the peak of someone's creativity is exclusively funneled through their lived experience? Huh?? See, and I know some people feel compelled to connect a story to art because it makes it easier to sell/explain. Using your story to sell a product is so foul to me. Like I get it, as a country we have a shallow understanding of what true empathy and support looks like, so people can get away with selling themselves through their story instead of the quality of their art. Your background can't be the only thing that's captivating about your art. If I go to a gallery with a friend and they tell me the artist is a survivor of war but their art is literal stick figures, I'm not rolling with the vision. The story can't be more enticing than the artwork; or rather the story can't be the reason you stay. There's no way you could support an artist in good conscious knowing their work falls short. I was going to continue on and talk about how society gets invested in ideas through storytelling, but that feels too preachy to add on for this week. So, I'm just going to end it here.