A Short Lesson In Perspective

Linds Redding was the art director at Saatchi & Saatchi and BBDO before dying of cancer in 2012. Prior to his death he wrote a long piece on his personal blog entitled A Short Lesson in Perspective in which he explains the core problem with the speed at which we work these days and the emptiness of the problems we're solving within the "creative industry". Even if you read this five years ago when he wrote it or even if you read it every year, read it again. There are an endless amount of quips and insights that should be drilled into each and every one of us. Here's one on "how the scam works" in regards to the structure of the business:

"The creative industry operates largely by holding creative people ransom to their own self-image, precarious sense of self-worth, and fragile if occasionally out of control ego. We tend to set ourselves impossibly high standards, and are invariably our own toughest critics. Satisfying our own lofty demands is usually a lot harder than appeasing any client, who in my experience tend to have disappointingly low expectations. Most artists and designers I know would rather work all night than turn in a sub-standard job. It is a universal truth that all artists think they a frauds and charlatans, and live in constant fear of being exposed. We believe by working harder than anyone else we can evaded detection. The bean-counters rumbled this centuries ago and have been profitably exploiting this weakness ever since. You dont have to drive creative folk like most workers. They drive themselves. Just wind em up and let em go."

That's just one of many. It goes on and on with unrelenting accuracy to describe the wringer that creative people put themselves through. Granted, he's speaking from the perspective of the Always Hungry World of Advertising but each of these insights completely apply to the World of Tech as well. Designs, prototypes, MVP's, insane deadlines and client demands are just as relevant as concept sketches and pitch lines. They may just be more coal for the fire.

I absolutely don't think of myself as some inspired creative along the lines of Linds Redding. Hell, I barely count myself as a creative but I do feel the drive to prove my self-worth through my work and it's scary to see the potential emptiness on the other side of that.

Many thanks to Jason for the heads up that it existed.