There's an interesting paradox at play here. On one hand, especially for young people, there can be great security in fitting in, being one of the crowd. Standing out can be seen as original, creative, daring, but of course that can backfire leaving the person ostracised and made fun of.
As we mature I think there's a tension between wanting to be different, perhaps a bit edgy, a bit radical, but at the same time keeping enough of oneself in touch with the mainstream. Work life can exacerbate these tensions - I know that as an NHS consultant I was regarded as 'different' (not always in a good way) for things as simple as sending my children to state rather than private schools.
Then there's the absence of sameness and conformity that occurs with madness. I remember the dizzy sense of having almost superhuman properties that comes with hypomania, and equally the sense of exclusion from the rest of society that accompanies depression.
So I'm not sure this is an all or none issue. I'd suggest that a certain degree of conformity/ sameness is necessary to enable some of us to be creative. It acts as an anchor for creativity rather than a block on it.
I just want to add that if anyone has seen a recent movie that is different, mysterious, out-of-the-ordinary, please do recommend. I’m tired of the same formula.
Loved this and yes it is indeed depressing that culture remains so stuck in a rut, that the excess of production in TV in recent years has led to a course correct where of course margins are being looked at and creativity gets squeezed. The days of the "gourmet cheeseburger" TV approach and shows being condemned for not being "second screen" enough can only make this worse. Love the irony of you posting this article the very day Netflix announces the acquisition (tbc!) of Warner Bros. Hardly a landmark day of hope in terms of culture spreading its wings. In terms of recommendations re film: "Good Boy" (the dog one) and "One Battle after another" are probably the only two I've seen this year to genuinely break the mould for me in terms of film-making. Re Television "Somebody Somewhere" and "Leonard and Hungry Paul" were beautiful and slow comedies that made me think. And re drama I've not gotten to it yet but am hearing great things about Apple's "Pluribus"...
I definitely think there's a trend towards sameness, blandness and unoriginality abroad in the world at the moment. I see it in people remodelling their house exteriors (white walls, black doors and window frames, no colours), how the kids and teenagers where I live dress (black tracksuits, trainers, same haircut on ALL the boys), not to mention the parade of boring, rote films and over-produced and generally shitty music that seems to be everywhere you hear a radio.
I never got around to getting a tattoo, which itself feels faintly subversive. As a teenager in the 2000s I stood out because I wore black clothes and band t-shirts rather than blue jeans and hoodies, but there were plenty of other teens like me, scattered through the city where I lived. I don't really see anyone breaking any sort of mould anymore, like the desire to have self identity has somehow gone away. What exact role tech, AI and algorithms play in all this I don't know, but even when surrounded by them an individual can still stop and say 'Wait a minute, I refuse to be defined by what I'm fed through my phone and the social expectations around me.' Many people seem to have stopped doing that. The hoodie, branded jacket (from one of the same few 'acceptable' brands) and jeans have become the suit, tie and hat of the 1930s and 40s. A socially-expected conformity which few bother, or dare, to challenge.
Thanks Alex - certainly agree with this. I think it's probably a lot harder for original creators to take something very different into a studio/publisher/record distributor and get their approval. For some reason at the moment, everyone just wants very safe formulaic art
There's an interesting paradox at play here. On one hand, especially for young people, there can be great security in fitting in, being one of the crowd. Standing out can be seen as original, creative, daring, but of course that can backfire leaving the person ostracised and made fun of.
As we mature I think there's a tension between wanting to be different, perhaps a bit edgy, a bit radical, but at the same time keeping enough of oneself in touch with the mainstream. Work life can exacerbate these tensions - I know that as an NHS consultant I was regarded as 'different' (not always in a good way) for things as simple as sending my children to state rather than private schools.
Then there's the absence of sameness and conformity that occurs with madness. I remember the dizzy sense of having almost superhuman properties that comes with hypomania, and equally the sense of exclusion from the rest of society that accompanies depression.
So I'm not sure this is an all or none issue. I'd suggest that a certain degree of conformity/ sameness is necessary to enable some of us to be creative. It acts as an anchor for creativity rather than a block on it.
I just want to add that if anyone has seen a recent movie that is different, mysterious, out-of-the-ordinary, please do recommend. I’m tired of the same formula.
Loved this and yes it is indeed depressing that culture remains so stuck in a rut, that the excess of production in TV in recent years has led to a course correct where of course margins are being looked at and creativity gets squeezed. The days of the "gourmet cheeseburger" TV approach and shows being condemned for not being "second screen" enough can only make this worse. Love the irony of you posting this article the very day Netflix announces the acquisition (tbc!) of Warner Bros. Hardly a landmark day of hope in terms of culture spreading its wings. In terms of recommendations re film: "Good Boy" (the dog one) and "One Battle after another" are probably the only two I've seen this year to genuinely break the mould for me in terms of film-making. Re Television "Somebody Somewhere" and "Leonard and Hungry Paul" were beautiful and slow comedies that made me think. And re drama I've not gotten to it yet but am hearing great things about Apple's "Pluribus"...
Thanks for this Matt. Great to know that someone who really knows about TV is paying attention here...
I definitely think there's a trend towards sameness, blandness and unoriginality abroad in the world at the moment. I see it in people remodelling their house exteriors (white walls, black doors and window frames, no colours), how the kids and teenagers where I live dress (black tracksuits, trainers, same haircut on ALL the boys), not to mention the parade of boring, rote films and over-produced and generally shitty music that seems to be everywhere you hear a radio.
I never got around to getting a tattoo, which itself feels faintly subversive. As a teenager in the 2000s I stood out because I wore black clothes and band t-shirts rather than blue jeans and hoodies, but there were plenty of other teens like me, scattered through the city where I lived. I don't really see anyone breaking any sort of mould anymore, like the desire to have self identity has somehow gone away. What exact role tech, AI and algorithms play in all this I don't know, but even when surrounded by them an individual can still stop and say 'Wait a minute, I refuse to be defined by what I'm fed through my phone and the social expectations around me.' Many people seem to have stopped doing that. The hoodie, branded jacket (from one of the same few 'acceptable' brands) and jeans have become the suit, tie and hat of the 1930s and 40s. A socially-expected conformity which few bother, or dare, to challenge.
Thanks Alex - certainly agree with this. I think it's probably a lot harder for original creators to take something very different into a studio/publisher/record distributor and get their approval. For some reason at the moment, everyone just wants very safe formulaic art