Individualism is Not a Virtue
Manifesto Part 7: Empower Each Other
Hi,
This is the seventh piece in a series of deep dives into the Everyone's Creative Manifesto. You can read the other parts by following the linked headings here.
Empower Each Other
Working alone can be wonderful. Existing alone is a nightmare. Empower, teach, uplift - whatever you have to provide, someone else likely needs. We're all stronger when we all help in our way.
Reject Individualism
The biggest swindle of late-capitalism and the entrenchment of power in tech companies has been in convincing us all that we're individuals first and most importantly. Our atomization hasn't just made us more polarized and lonely, it's made us vulnerable. The truth is that we all have far more in common than not, especially if you are part of the increasingly disadvantaged 99% of the population that doesn't control immense amounts of capital.
All of this is to say that our power doesn't lie in our individual freedoms (rights aren't power, that's kind of the point) or our unique, special little thoughts. Our power lies in our collective identity and in our community. We're stronger together, and we need to embrace and accept that idea in everything we do – especially in creativity and making things.
The serenity of being alone.
I'm writing this while I'm shut away in my studio, completely alone. I like working alone. I get distracted easily – especially by other people – and I like having the freedom that being alone affords me. I can pace, mumble to myself, stare into space, take breaks, lie on the floor... all of that feels like it gives me some ability to better access my creative energy and to focus on my work.
There's value in having privacy, both to be who you are without judgement and to protect yourself from the increasingly prying eyes of tech companies and the state. It's important to recognize that we're giving away a huge amount of our private, individual information to monoliths and that it gives value to them. Value, under capitalism, is power. So embracing the idea of protecting your privacy shouldn't be just because you're worried someone will find something out about you, it should also be in the spirit of denying the powers that be the value that your data provides them. It takes (in small amounts) power away from them and returns it to you.
All this is to say that I recognize the different ways that your individuality can have value. But liking being alone or wanting to protect your privacy shouldn't mean becoming a hermit. We need to be careful to recognize when our individuality is empowering to us and when it tips over into making us all more vulnerable.
Putting the collective first.
We have to stay connected. We need to share our ideas and the things we create with one another. We need to build community and networks, not just for our own benefit but for the benefit of each other. This requires a change in attitude which may feel uncomfortable at first. We've been taught that selflessness is morally laudable, but ultimately creates little value for the person being selfless. You can volunteer or donate money if you have the time or the means, but because we've become so hyper-individualized, we rarely have spare time or spare money to give. When we reposition ourselves and start focusing on the collective, we will realize that all that struggle isn't necessary. Sacrificing a bit of your individualism means everyone has a bit more help, which in turn means they have a bit more to give.
This impacts creativity greatly, and not just in the obvious ways. Sure, collaboration and sharing ideas can lead to amazing things. There are works of art, engineering and science that simply cannot be accomplished by a single individual. This is the simplest form of collective creation – collaborating on a film, a movement, a product or a new scientific discovery.
But embracing a collective mindset in everything you do also means asking yourself how your work can help others – even when you're making it on your own. It gives your creativity a higher purpose and it reminds us of what the point of art and creativity is all about. It isn't about personal gain, acclaim or legacy – many people think it is, but they've clearly lost their way. The point of our creativity is connection. It's to share ideas, experiences, resources, emotion and humanity with one another. When you hold that idea close in everything you create, then you're never really working alone. Even when you're shut into a studio by yourself.
Whatever you have, someone else likely needs.
None of us can provide everything we need for ourselves entirely on our own. This is the myth of individualism we've all been sold and we can see the lie crumbling around us every day. We're all ultimately just people struggling to find, afford and maintain shelter. We're people trying to balance work and caring for those dependent on us completely alone. We're people trying to stay healthy, make ends meet, stay informed, rest, be social, be courteous, be on time, be mindful, be productive, be organized... trying to do everything completely on our own because we see some virtue in our individuality or because we can't see another way.
But this is such a waste of energy. Most of us have a surplus of something and a deficit of another. Not just in material ways, either. Some people are just more organized than others, and find planning projects easier than others. That's a simple, intangible thing that can be easy to share wit someone else. Similarly, some people have more compassion, more free time, more education, more money, more friends, more connections, more tools, more books, more space, more anything – and that's something they can use to fill a gap for someone else.
Anything you have a bit more of than someone else is something they may be lacking in, and that's what the idea of empowering each other comes into play.
This idea isn't about shedding our individual identities for some spiritual reason, or just to appeal to some moral ideal. This is a political statement, and it's about pushing back on the people trying to push us all apart before they crush us. Embracing our collective identity is about spreading power around and lifting everyone up together. I have a surplus of time and ideas, which manifest in this newsletter you're reading right now. It's not meant to be a monologue but a conversation – even if you only reply in your head – because I believe that sharing ideas helps other people form their own thoughts and opinions. I've experienced that from others and see that as something I can do, too. I don't want to be heard. I want others to realize they are creative and have something to offer, too.
You shouldn't need to deprive yourself in order to benefit your fellow humans. We shouldn't see compassion and support as a luxury we can only afford once we've hoarded enough resources for ourselves. The point is that, no matter what you make, you can make it with others in mind. If we all do that, then imagine how much more power all of us would have. Imagine what we could do together instead of all trying to do it on our own.
Stay connected.
Love,
Simon 🐒