CREATE OR CONSUME? THERE IS NO THIRD OPTION.
You Don’t Have to Go Viral. You Just Have to Make Something.
OVERDUB 007
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CREATE OR CONSUME. THERE IS NO THIRD OPTION
Creator culture Pinkie-promised we all had something profound to contribute to the world's conversation. Turns out, what we mostly contributed was a lot of very enthusiastic mouth farting.
There's something beautifully rebellious about creating just for the joy of it. Doodling just because, knowing those scribbles will never be seen. We’ve all hummed those made-up ballads in the shower, convinced the tile bouncing acoustics aren’t the reason you sound like ‘Dream lover’ Era Mariah. Not every paper plane needs a "fold with me" video. Not every hobby needs a hashtag. Not every talent requires a tip jar.
Sometimes the most punk rock thing you can do is get really good at something and tell absolutely no one about it, because you did it for you.
We’re living through a recalibration of industry.
A democratisation of creation.
The barrier to entry is no longer the limbo pole only your creepy uncle can wine low enough to reach. ‘Making’, has never been more accessible. Reaching a global audience, has never been as widely achievable.
As someone who mentors young people who turn to creativity as their outlet, their profession, and at times their lifeline, I believe deeply that the act of creating can transform lives. But transformation requires more than talent or passion, it demands purpose.
Are you seeking validation, or do you genuinely have something burning to express? Both are human, but only one leads to meaningful art. Being a consumer is perfectly valid. Being inspired is beautiful. But if you want to contribute something lasting, good intentions can’t be enough.
The PDF your favourite business influencer built and sells to ‘sky rocket income’ offers short cuts, hacks. It offers algorithm friendly suggestions to become the voice of a digital generation.
The chapter skipped, neglected and seldom mentioned?
Craft.
Craft demands patience, effort, and humility.
The democratisation of creativity convinced us that vibes plus iPhone equals art.
But contribution that outlasts trends demands something more. Expression is universal; we're all walking around full of opinions and emotions and stories. Execution is the craft of making those internal experiences external and meaningful to strangers. But masterful presence? Mastery is earned through countless hours of imperfect practice. Practice built for the goal of progress, not plaudits.
“Talent is insignificant. I know a lot of talented ruins. Beyond talent lie all the usual words: discipline, love, luck, but most of all, endurance.” James Baldwin
My education happened in stages… Acting taught me to listen, making documentaries taught me to watch, Directing taught me to wrestle chaos into something coherent. The thread running through it all was never about recognition or validation; it was about honouring the process.
I spent years consuming from the side-lines until something clicked and I couldn't stay there anymore. Once I entered the arena, I learned…
Talent was just the entry fee. What mattered was showing up honestly, day after day, devoted to getting better.
“You’ll become way less concerned with what other people think of you when you realise how seldom they do.” David Foster Wallace
How did we get to a place where being an audience feels like giving up? When did sharing what we love become less valuable than being what others love? The shift from appreciation to participation wasn't gradual… it was a fucking landslide.
Now everyone's performing, and no one's watching. Ask yourself: are you making something because it has to exist, or because you want to exist in people's minds?
Wanting to be seen is achingly human, but when that want overtakes reverence for the form, the work suffers. You can always tell, there's a texture to art made from compulsion that's completely different from art made for applause.
Creativity is for everyone, but contribution is a choice.
Everyone has a creative spark, that's just biology. But not every spark needs to become a bonfire… with an audience.
Being a thoughtful consumer, someone who recognises and celebrates great work, is its own valuable contribution to culture.