Create: Practical Knowledge, Confidence and Freedom

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Knowledge is power. Cliché but true. Knowledge is freedom. Cliché but true. Have been thinking A LOT about these ideas and the subsequent haunting of failure is impossible to shake.(This does not mean I’m depressed or being cynical or being hard on myself. People often make the mistake of thinking this. Failure is not a negative for me, necessarily, just something to learn from.) Over the past few weeks, I’ve been able to catch up on a few documentary films I’d been meaning to watch for quite some time. “Following Seas,” is a sailing documentary about one family who lived a life of adventure that is nearly impossible to fathom for anyone who has lived a “normal” life. (Like me.)

When I tell people about this film there are typically two reactions. The majority of folks quickly say “not for me.” Then dismiss much of what happened in the film. Almost as if to say “It’s better I don’t know about this or these people.” The family portrayed shake the foundation of what we have been told, what the narrative of our lives and histories actually are. Not to mention these people do not, and have not, ever conformed to the system.

The second group reaction is “Let’s go do that.” This reaction comes from a much smaller group, but a group that is growing in size as the pandemic lays bare the reality of our corrupted regime, our fractured society and the lies we’ve been fed our entire lives. And this group often points out two specific things about the folks portrayed in the film. Confidence and practical knowledge.

The Internet destroyed a lot of people, places, and things, and continues to do so. One of my pet peeves, of which there are a few, is when I am attempting to figure something out and someone nearby yells “Google it!” No. I actually want to try to figure it out. Why ask questions when you have Google? Why be curious when you can Google the answer? Why wonder what’s around the bend when you can use Google Earth? Why ask directions when you can just use Google Maps? The Internet is the direct opposite extreme of practical knowledge and confidence. Sure, you can use it for research, and for this, it can be endless and invaluable. But it’s not the answer to everything. And it’s certainly not the answer to anything human.

I also realized this idea relates to photography as well. I was fortunate to grow up in the film era, and in a time before the Internet and social media. There really weren’t many ways of showing off our work. And we never began to show our work, even to friends or mentors, before we had spent months on the projects. And in some cases years on the projects. There was no need for constant affirmation. No need for meaningless pats on the back from unskilled, untrained people who might be providing that pat on the back for a variety of reasons, some nefarious.

What we were after was confidence inspired by patience, practice and practical knowledge. We knew good work took time. We knew the only way to get better was to practice and we knew that the only way to get where we wanted to get was to master the practical knowledge required to do so and this knowledge wasn’t about cameras, f-stops or aperture. There was no talk of fame. There was no talk of riches.

We knew confidence was not only the key to working in the field it was also the key to surviving the business of photography. Confident, not cocky. Big difference and one that needs to very, very carefully understood. Confidence was required for gaining access, being told “no,” working with clients and contracts. Confidence was required for asking for legit wages, defending our work, defending our style, defending the time required to do what was needed. And confidence was required for demanding respect from those who were paid to undermine that very thing.

We now face a unique time in our history and I’m curious how many humans are now experiencing an unfamiliar power seeping out from somewhere inside. The corruption has been put on display for all to see and now we seeing a growing number of us start to ask “Why did we think our lives were normal?” “Why did we think our culture pre-virus was normal?” And even more dangerously, “Why would we want to go back to that?” The powers that be NEED us to conform. That is why our Commander in Chief tries to incite violence, tries to incite the masses to go back out there and act like things are normal. The SYSTEM needs us. Because now the fragility has been exposed, at least for those who want to see it, even if they don’t want to believe it.

The Trade Center bombings were a mere wobble. The financial collapse just another but this time I see and hear considerable numbers starting to wonder about the entire foundation of our world. And people are asking questions. The real danger lies in the idea of the public taking charge. What if the public gains confidence and practical knowledge? What if they discover the game is, at least in part, rigged? You can say “Well, we’ve known it was rigged all along.” But then why are we still here? What happens when the public FINALLY wakes up and realizes the government is here for US?

Confidence and practical knowledge is about control and options. These can lead to wealth, which can also allow for near endless control and options. Like having the kind of money that gets you a C19 test, and every known drug treatment delivered to your house. (Yes, this is true.) But personally, I find the seed of doubt just as powerful. The seed of asking the follow up question when you already know the answer and the person being interviewed begins to squirm.

Now, in tandem with people starting to question our current paradigm has come to an equally curious sentiment. “Americans will never pull off the change.” “I have no hope this will actually happen.” “People will return to the old ways with a vengeance and will be even more self-centered and destructive.” On the surface, and in my heart, I quickly agree but then hold out hope that perhaps now is the time. A quick look at McKinsey and Company and their research are troubling, to say the least. What are people doing in lockdown? Cooking, watching movies, increasing their texting, television, social media time and reducing their work time and their consumption of printed media. This is all the evidence I need to answer the question of whether or not it will happen. It won’t.

So what to do? Well, at this point you have to refer back to Following Seas. You have to be prepared to go against the grain, with everyone and everything instructing you to conform, to get in line, to do what is “right,” which will, of course, be defined by corporate strategy, political party, finance or the ever-changing rules of authority. They NEED us to get back in line. It’s that simple. If we don’t we crumble.

Comments 8

  1. There’s a lot to think about here. Will need to read again and think a bit before a meaningful comment. Except one. I agree about “Google It”. Hate that reaction, that reflex. I’m glad I have friends who don’t immediately reach for their phones when we’re sorting something out, even with something as simple as “Who played so and so in that movie?” Give the synapses a chance to reconnect.

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      Scott,
      It’s default now. Why think? It’s done for you. As your data is being bought and sold behind the scenes. Such an odd thing.

  2. Dan,

    I am sitting here creating zines left and right – you are partly to blame for that.
    Years ago you had that SMOGRANCH thing going on and seeing your photo-books and one-offs put the bug in my brain>
    Anywho – tons of collaboration with people via Instagram. I have been making art postcards and DMing every person I follow or follows me if they want an art postcard with a bit of poetry. The art is mine and the poetry is “borrowed” from poets that can write about life well better than I can. Rilke, Maya Angelou, Langston Hughes, Nikki Giovanii, Frost etc etc.

    Why dont you sell the postcards my artists friends ask? Why ask why try Bud Dry?! Sorry an old add from another time.
    Anyone drink Bud Dry – no me either.

    There are two types of people that respond to my free art. Those that immediately give a mailing address and a resounding yes, and those that go yes – and then give me their email address, or worse yet, yes and then nothing at all.

    Perhaps it was time in Navy living in foreign countries that makes me reach out, touch something real, and give something real to people. The internet is a tool – that we are letting us run our lives. As stupid as a hammer telling a carpenter how to build a house and raise kids. That would never happen. Although what a magical hammer!?

    I did have a questions as I was making my latest collaboration zine project on BookWright – why does Blurb NOT have an integration platform with Magcloud. Sometimes It would nice to just make a cheaper zine – without having to use an Adobe based editing software – and the BookWright program is honestly great. Ive made a ton of experimental projects that I wouldnt have attempted in InDesign, Lightroom or anything in between.

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      Aaron,
      Really glad I was partly responsible for putting the bug in you. Makes me happy. Collaboration was something that took me FAR too long to understand. It can be difficult, as you mention with people supplying emails instead of mailing addresses, or even questioning with suspicion what you are up to. (I get this ALL THE TIME.)As for a merger of MC and Blurb. Dreamy. It would be dreamy. But it’s also incredibly complex. So, probably not going to happen in the short term but I totally agree. It would be grand.

  3. Of course the upper class needs dumb, fat, and happy middle/working/lower classes. It’s how democratic societies have always functioned.

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  4. Morpheus : This is your last chance. After this, there is no turning back. You take the blue pill – the story ends, you wake up in your bed and believe whatever you want to believe. You take the red pill – you stay in Wonderland and I show you how deep the rabbit-hole goes.

    Dan I’m confident we’ve all had the red pill moment. The impact will take a while to unfold.

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      Jim,
      Yep, people talk about being bored or stuck in the same routine. Me, I look at the world as a daily minefield of change. Who the Hell knows what’s coming.

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