I believe eighty percent of the population eats fast food and loves dumb shit. The other twenty percent are the thinkers, pioneers and generational talent, but I also believe the twenty percent are in for an uphill battle moving forward because our entire culture seems to have tilted on its axis and wants nothing more than to fulfill the insatiable thirst for the average, the dumbed down, and the lowest common denominator.
Superhero movies, poorly written soft core romance novels, Reality TV, and completely biased news coverage, just to name a few.
But don’t fear, there is still time and there is still hope for a semi-glorious, halfway decent future. But to get there, you have to commit to living in the minority, and you have to realize how sacrificing this might be. Case in point, I recently attended a party. Yes, me. The introvert. This was more of a salon than a party, but you get the idea. Me, in public, with strangers. The party was hosted by a famous cinematographer and his wife who have an astounding list of credits. They also possess a stunning and comprehensive visual history of their lives. Still photographs going back fifty years. Film sets and adventures. Famous directors, actors and poignant moments in film and television history. She an artist. He the man behind the machine. (camera)
I didn’t know anyone else at the party. Well, there was one person I met the day before but I’m not counting him. Strangers, and as it turned out, refugees from Los Angeles. Refugees from the film and television world. I had two options. One, sit in the corner and wait for the party to end. Two, put myself out there and attack, so to speak. I chose option two. I went from person to person like Otter in Animal House. “Hi, Dan Milnor, damn glad to meet you.”
Everyone I met was interesting, talented and had a long history in creating things. But there was another consistency to their story. “Aging out.” As an immature fifty-five year old, I am well aware of the rampant ageism that permeates the creative world. I see it and hear it. So far, I’ve yet to feel the edge of this reality, and I feel my age is a positive not a negative. Heck, I survived the Tang years, cars with no seatbelts, friends who let me play with liquid mercury, and jobs that were nothing more than one long verbal abuse campaign. As they say in the sticks, “I’ve got some hard bark on me.”
But these folks talked of a literal career cliff that appeared when they hit fifty. Writers, producers, camera operators, and editors. Just gone, regardless of talent or credits. But what ran parallel to their disengagement was the reduction of quality work being made. The reduction of good writing, distinctive style, and thoughtful pieces meant for the thinking audience as opposed to the blockbuster aimed at the eighty percent.
I spent copious time talking with a writer who I had observed photographing at the Burro Races the day before. This is New Mexico. This shit happens here. He moved with intent. He moved with purpose, and it caught my attention. In a sea of people with cameras, there were few who were there to actually record. Most of those photographing were Instagram types, only there to boast that they were there, quickly snapping a selfie or two then huddling in the corner to craft the post. Dressed in New Mexico costumes. Felt hats and serapes for the LA-types, sandals and short shorts for the trail runner crowd, and fringe and boots for the Texans.
I told the writer I had seen him the day before and was intrigued by how he was moving. I also told him I loved to write. Never claimed to be good at it, but felt like writing is the “high art,” and something that fuels my imagination which leads to better story ideas and better photographs. And then we really started talking about writing. We spoke about television and film history. One famous script after another. Famous screenplay adaptors who have taken short stories to film and books to episodic masterpieces.
There were dangerously few over the past decade. And based on his experience, the future doesn’t bode well for the thoughtful. Seeing as we were sitting in New Mexico we spoke about Cormac McCarthy. He explained why The Road and All the Pretty Horses were made, but why Blood Meridian never will be. We both felt No Country for Old Men was perhaps the last of the McCarthy pieces that would be so perfectly displayed. We talked Sicario. We talked about why spontaneity was the key to the success of Breaking Bad. We talked about how conformity had taken over Hollywood. We talked about how “content” took over from “photography.”
Here is the takeaway.
You can’t stop fighting. I asked him why he picked up a pen in the first place, and what he would do if money was no issue. What would he write then? I said the twenty percentile could never, ever leave our mindset. Sure, we might be facing a lonely and frustrating future but that this was the price to pay for not giving up. And I believe there is, and there will continue to be, a place for the thoughtful. I’ve always felt if you make great work people will find it. I’ve always felt life on a island is a good life.
The eighty percent watches two hours of television every single night. (Netflix, Prime, etc. ) The eighty percent just wants to “chill out.” The eighty percent used to read but now finds it difficult to concentrate. The eighty percent checks their Instagram feed in the middle of the night. The eighty percent may or may not vote because what’s the point.
McCarthy writes of strangers on horseback carrying horns of fire into the blackness of the unknown, and maybe this is the lesson for the twenty percent. It is dark and dangerous out there, but as long as the ember still burns, hope remains. Don’t lean back. Lean forward and take control of what you can. Failure is your friend. Risk is your shadow. There may or may not be an immediate payoff. There may not be a financial reward, but a life without the ember is no life at all.
Comments 29
Bukowski wrote of saving a ‘Spark’ while the corporate overlords mashed those around him to smithereens. Brilliant, thoughtful poem. [poem is titled ‘spark’]
Author
Love Bukowski. A friend used to hang out with him and photograph him. Crazy stuff.
Jeez, Dan … what the hell … are you running some kind of church? Love it! “ Failure is your friend; risk is your shadow.”
He said he was an evangelist…
Author
True. Although I think I’m between titles.
He did say he was an evangelist…
Author
Yep, the church of Dan. Only entirely lacking in faith.
Just think about life at eighty-seven. With a business ‘phone that stopped ringing when one was in one’s fifties.
Guess what: invisibility in professional terms (and in many disciplines) began further back in time than some imagine. I guess that in general terms, it must be even more painful for a woman, but then again, I think most women have always know about and expect little else than this unwanted, age-related public vanishing trick. I, on the other hand, was totally surprised to discover such a thing existed. I suppose I had made the mistake of imagining that the longevity of such as Avedon and Co. automatically applied to mortals, too. Now and then there’s a fool such as I. 😉 That said, I believe that I am of the generation that came in at the peak (hence a bit too late) of the photography boom but witnessed and shared the beginning of the end. Not a lot anyone could do to beat that. From what I can see, the boom began earlier in the US and perhaps lasted longer, too. That’s one benefit of a huge economy!
That twenty percent you wrote about gets even smaller, and will continue to decline as basic school education is rendered ever more lacking; I am not entirely sure that this decline is not somewhat fostered by some of the powers that be: easier to control idiots, easier to sell them product nobody else wants. Politicians also like the idea of sure votes; why would they encourage people to be able to think about alternatives?
Author
Good points. Not sure what would turn the tide. Or if we should. Maybe nature takes its course.
No country for old men. Ouch.. 58. An old man. This is not looking good.#1 At all. I’m still reading. I’m still thinking. I’m still voting. Truth is, as always, hidden in Shifter.media. EU starts resembling USA. Blame the internet. 80 % rule applies for it too, a mere 20% can be marked as HQ. This is looking not good.#2 Roger that. Over and out. Back to reading and thinking…
Author
Reading and thinking. A good foundation. History says dangerous.
I hear it all the time: “I just binged an entire series on Netflix.” As if this is something to be proud of. On movie and television sets, we used to talk to each other behind the scenes. Now nearly everyone on the crew at work is scrolling, scrolling, scrolling. Doom. Scrolling. Then we have useful idiots who are getting their history lessons from Tik Tok. Dan, I know you aren’t a fan of social media however may I suggest, (if you don’t know about it) that Visura is a site aimed at photographers and photography. No ads, algorithms or “influencers.” Have a look, if you feel inclined. Social media is not all bad, it’s not black and white, no pun intended. I’ve connected with interesting people around the world who read, after publishing my photography book Nothing is good or bad, thinking makes it so. Thank you, Shakespeare.
https://visura.co/hannahkozak
Thank you for the link Hannah. You did put it right imho, not all bad. The net is digging for gold. A lot of work for a few lumps. It’s not eating until you burst like binging on NF. I find a few lumps each month through links like yours.
I’m “aged out” from software development at 34. I wrote a damn fine piece of software to authenticate users making mega money transactions (the kind where you count the 0s) . It was tested, proven and worked. Company brought in a 20 year old who had worked with their other system to re-do it. As I understand it they are still suffering issues two years later…
To your 80:20 point, I came across this from a psychologist called Andrew Shaw — although I’m certain he’s not the original source:
Normal is medicated, normal is obese, normal is highly stressed, normal is debt ridden, normal is socially anxious, normal is alcohol-dependent, normal is emotionally unregulated, normal is being a slave to impulse, normal is working a job you hate, normal is going broke to keep up appearances, normal is 7 hours of screen time a day, normal is being comfortable but miserable.
Normal should terrify you.
It stuck with me and I think of it often.
Author
The “bring in the super young person” thing has happened to several of my friends and to some of those in my most inner circle. And some were brought in to make existing workers miserable to get them to quit without a retirement package. Mercenaries. There is no other word for it. The funny part is that these same people brought in to make people miserable ended up leaving the companies shortly thereafter.
Wow! I read this sitting, drinking my “normal” morning cup of coffee…You’re correct…I don’t want to be normal. Thanks for the insight.
Author
Normal sucks.
As one wag opined, “Don’t let the bastards get you down.” That said, my wife and I moved to France, trying to stay a few years ahead of the inevitable decline. At 75, I fought my battles in the 60s. Time to give the young folk their chance.
Author
They can have it. I say south of France sounds damn fine.
Your last paragraph is gold, I need to compile a list of all your wisdom.
Author
Thank you!
This was the best essay I’ve read all week. Last week my amazing wife bought me the Harvard Classics Shelf of Fiction. To complement the Harvard Classics 51 volumes I inherited from my Dad. I read every day. Fifty-nine years old. Still writing. Hate social media. I will not go gentle into that good night.
Author
Yes, we need to continue to swim upstream……mandatory.
Daniel, I needed to read this today. I’ve self doubted myself for too long. I kept telling myself “tomorrow”…but I’ve started to work on my blog. I have an old soul, maybe it’s because I grew up here in southwest, VA. I appreciate the small things…and also a daughter of a musican..writing is in my blood but Ive always feared backlash..but that’s the beauty of writing.
Author
Whatever it is you have to offer is precisely what you need. Just do what feels right and not what you think the audience desires.
Cormac McCarthy changed whatever I imagined about writing. The early work is sometimes overlooked but shouldn’t be, Child of God, Suttree. I write as needed, preferring the images to speak for themselves, mostly. I feel more like the 5%, but what does it matter in the final chapter.
Author
I think there is something to be said for allowing the images to speak. I think in today’s world that is more and more difficult. Had a conversation with a publisher who said that the overall quality of work has gone up exponentially in the past twenty years, but that the truly incredible work has dropped dramatically. I think for images to speak they need to fall into this second category. I encounter quit a few photographers who either don’t like to write, or don’t think they can write. For me, I look at much for the story as the images.
For decades now I have applied the 80/20 rule to intelligence. There is a caveat however, a majority of the 80% believe they are in the 20%, the true 20% are not so sure.
I catch myself frequently walking the line, it’s a fun game and a slippery slope. I’m in the 20% but am I?
Loved your article.
Author
self-doubt is healthy.