June '10: The Month in Posts

I've spent a lot of time covering the basics of the productive spirit needed to revitalize media. Creators need to understand how great a responsibility they have to their fans, who have entrusted their perspective of reality to them. They must be vigilant in producing stories that adhere to the truth of reality, and they must uphold this vigilance independent of commercial interests that may persuade them to compromise their art.

This month, I turned my focus in a direction inspired by the rewards of creation itself. Enjoy.

Cognitive Surplus and the Appreciators - June 5, 2010

This month's Wired Magazine has an article which is extremely relevant to our cause. Wired contributing editor, Daniel Pink, author of Drive, goes head to head with Clay Shirky, author of Cognitive Surplus, about the themes common between their respective works. Basically, Drive points out that traditional "carrot or stick" methods of reward and punishment are not the only motivators—in fact, they're not even the best. (read more)

Hobbies: Creation is a Gift - June 11, 2010

Everyone has a hobby, but most of us never are able to devote enough time to it because we have to make a living. Mostly, perhaps, this hobby is something to blow off steam and forget the trials of your day-job. Maybe it would simply evaporate if you were suddenly endowed with a fortune... Realistically though, I doubt it. It seems to me that what we spend our precious spare time on is, by proxy, also precious to us. Does it not follow that we would like to make money while doing our hobby—and lose the job? (read more)

Violence: A Meditation - June 23, 2010

Does violence in the media lead to violence in real life? This is a profound question, and its answer is vitally important to choosing the correct path for future media creations. It is unlikely that I could definitively answer the question here, nor am I attempting to do so. The purpose of this post is merely to examine the question. (read more)

One Step Beyond - June 26, 2010

Everything has a story. That knick-knack you've had on your mantle or your desk for innumerable years isn't just a meaningless piece of junk. That clutter of odds-and-ends on your workbench wasn't placed there en masse. No, it accumulated for as many reasons as there are individual items. (read more)