Blog 3: Brainwashed

http://changethis.com/manifesto/show/66.01.Brainwashed <- is the link for the article "Brainwashed" by Seth Godin.

Summary:

In “Brainwashed” Seth Godin describes seven levers for reinvention.  One of which is called “Acknowledging the Lizard”.  Godin says the Lizard is the part of our brain that “worries about safety and dishes out anger”.  Godin explains how we must acknowledge the Lizard so we can shut it up.  In other words, we hear the criticism it brings, and so we use that to create better art and shut it up.  Another Lever is Ship.  Ship means to actually get your art out the door for people to see.  If you are the one who delivers than you are the one they can’t live without.  One last lever is Failure.  Growth comes through failure.  I see it as another way of saying, “learn from your mistakes”.  The only way to improve and grow is to base your art off of what you learned from your fails.

Analysis: 

In the article “Brainwashed” Seth Godin, explains seven layers for reinvention.  His seven levers made excellent points that, I believe, highly relate to the students in our media 203 class.  The statements Godin makes in this reading are very relevant to the exercises we perform in class and actually the blogs we are doing for the quarter.  In the short reading, the last lever of reinvention is “Learn”.  Learn explains how we are still continuing to learn which helps us be better artists.  Seth Godin states that we are still learning through our experiments and experiences.  These blogs are experiments and experiences.  Writing these blogs is a step to the whole process, we are learning from what we blog. 

            I have really learned from this reading.  It makes me actually recognize the factors that can and will help me to become a better artist.  These levers make sense to me.  They layout what helps you improve your own work.  Ever factor explained relates to real life experiences I have had.  I do believe these layers make me a better artist.  All of these are tips to help one become successful.  Especially “Acknowledging the Lizard”.  One of the biggest helps to improving an artist’s work is criticism.  You want to prove the wrong.  You want to shut them up.  It is used a more of a motivation.  This layout of levers is something that if I follow and learn, can make me a better artist.

            Not only can these aspects make me a better artist, but they can also make me a better person.  Everything that Godin explains in his article is relative to the way of life.  They can help your chances in success if you practice these actions.  The “Be Generous” lever stands out the most to me when it comes to becoming a better person.  Being generous is the most basic start to being a better citizen.  Just like the saying “treat others the way you want to be treated”, being a kind person can get you far places.  Not only will others treat you with more respect but people will have better views of you, and maybe notice you a little more than others.  Being generous should be the base ingredient in becoming successful. 

            This article was not only an inspirational one, but also a very helpful one.  I agree with all the points that Godin explains in the reading.  Not only does this relate to our class, but this also relates to our life.  If one can follow these in attempts to reinvent themselves, they have a good base for becoming successful.