Thursday, January 29, 2009

Never let a good crisis go to waste...

Its amazing how overwhelming the bad news is everywhere you go. Recession, depression, job losses...it goes on and on. To be honest, its actually near impossible to ignore all the nay saying and doldrum...especially as a working artist.

But here's the thing. When things are good and easy and the economy is churning and everyone is making money then nothing ever really shifts. Redundant Big car companies keep making redundant big cars and artists keep creating art that sells, even if that means not going anywhere near their personal boundaries. 

but when shit hits the fan and we're forced to think, and I mean really think, about our survival some pretty amazing and creative things can happen...

Redundant big car companies are forced to survive by adapting to a market and environment that has been screaming at them for years, and artists are forced to try new things, to expand their boundaries because the same old isn't paying the bills anymore.

Me personally? I'm off to explore new opportunities, new markets, new ways of shooting, new cultures, new photographic vistas...all things i didn't 'need' to do a year ago when things were nuts.

I'm off to Mumbai in three weeks and look forward to updating everyone on my progress there. It feels so good to throw off the cloak of routine and take a risk

So don't let the economy get you down, mainly because its not about the economy, its about you and your willingness to adapt and discard old pattern and beliefs.

Thank god for the recession!

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Martin,

This is an excellent outlook on things. I have come to the same conclusion. I am heading to Ethiopia for 3 months and see what happens.
Good Luck

Kees said...

Rarely do I read a post that inspires me to comment... but this time, I will. Martin, you have an excellent approach to change, and I believe this attitude and your exceptional skills will allow you to thrive, when everyone is cowering, trying to cover what they have.

I enjoy reading your posts because you have a unique way of viewing things. Very Tao.
Kees Snyders

john said...

here here martin. couldn't agree more. in some ways it really boils down to the basics -- survival of the fittest.

WeatherVane said...

Hey Martin, I have to admit that your more life based and philosophical blogs sometimes mirror, in an odd way, what I would if anyone were listening! :) Other times, you've just been great at vocalizing little mini-thoughts in my head. Even before I read this last post, I agreed with you whole heartedly. I do think this whole "crisis", which really isn't that much of a crisis if you take people's need for the decadent out of the picture, is nothing short of evolution telling us we've strayed down the wrong path. When the smoke has cleared we'll be better as individuals and societies. We'll all be humbled and reminded of what our priorities are. We'll be better at being people, and we'll have learned things that we never would have tried while we were being paid to do something else, probably much less personal or creative.

I too, say bring it on. I'm off to Australia in a couple weeks and can't wait to do what everyone else isn't, inside the sadly restricting boundaries we put on ourselves.

Hope you find in Mumbai, some things you're looking for and more things you're not.

Anonymous said...

Brilliant idea and shot, and amen to your recession post! All the best...

Neil said...

Haha, good positive thinking Martin, way to go and very true! Unlikely that it is nearly as bad as it has been pounded into us over and over and if it is, it's because of the constant pounding of fear. The world won't end and we all need to see what we can make out of it for ourselves. Good luck in India!