When the World is on Fire
The Courageous Create
It’s been a lot …
Several times this week, I’ve had the same conversation with conscientious friends–conservationists, activists, a Berkeley student, physicians, writers–all of whom have said the same thing about the current state of affairs:
“I’m not sure what to do next.”
“There’s too much going on. Where do I put my energy?”
“I just don’t know where or how I can make a difference.”
Two quick suggestions:
We should be saying “WE,” not I. “I” is the problem in our hyper-individualized culture. This thinking keeps us from doing anything because it seems too overwhelming. It’s going to take all of us. So whatever you do, please don’t do it alone. EXCEPT for #2
Create. Anything. Make it messy. Make it unique to you.
Lest this sound like hollow advice like “find your joy,” take 15 minutes to absorb this incredible TED Talk by Aime McNee, who will convince you that when the world is on fire, the creative act is how we extinguish it. And to do this, we must break free from perfectionism, self-doubt, and the belief that creative work isn’t “real work.” She reminds us that “create” can mean anything that focuses your mind on anything but the incessant demands of the technology jockeying our attention.
“Reclaim your most valuable resource that's been robbed of us, and that's our attention. In a society that profits from you giving your attention to your phone, giving your attention to art is a rebelious act.
“There is NOTHING the oppressors and abusers of humanity want more than for you to forget your creativity, your connectivity, and your power. By stepping into it, YOU ARE REVOLTING!” —Amie McNee
Another suggestion—I never imagined I’d say this a week ago—is to grab a beer and some popcorn and rent the Minecraft Movie. I watched this a few nights ago with my 16 and 22-year-old kids, and we all loved it for different reasons. Not only is it hilarious, but if you’re a parent, you’ll finally understand what the heck your kids have been doing on their iPads all these years.
A group of misfits must band together to overcome the villainous Malgosha (who couldn’t be more MAGA), who seeks to destroy creativity and replace it with a dull, lifeless existence. Its core message is that creativity is essential for both personal growth and overcoming adversity, and the subversive messages sprinkled throughout are a powerful antidote to the daily news.
It’s far easier to destroy than to create; cowards choose to destroy.” —Steve, played by Jack Black
Here’s a little “Cento” created from Aime McNee’s TED Talk. Cento is Latin for “patchwork, a poetic form composed entirely of lines from other poets’ words—a really easy way to get started if writing poetry is something you want to try.
Oh Aime ... It's so sweet that you think horny fairy fantasy novels can make a difference in a culture that sidelines the creative act. Indulgent? Frivolous? Decoration? Productive? Optimization? For children? Creativity is the missing piece of self development. I'm talking to you repressing your inate instict to create someting to connect even if you don't have a creative bone in your body. A little piece of poetry is a revolutionary thing. There's so much pain we need to be at the paino— not just in peacetime, we need it now. You are so needed— be generous, be vulnerable, be the anticdote to other's pain. Never leave the world the way you found it.
As we approach what promises to be a landmark weekend—with the world seemingly ablaze (July 14, 2025)—it’s hard not to feel as though the apocalypse is drawing near. Xiye Bastida, a young Indigenous climate activist, offers a powerful shift in perspective from her TED Vancouver 2025 talk Your inner fire is your greatest strength:
“We are rising out of the apocalypse.”
By harnessing our “conscious imagination” and envisioning a brighter future, she encourages us to focus on the question: “What does it feel like when we win?”
When we create, we connect, at the very least, with ourselves. This is the antidote to division. So make a date with creativity and stoke your smoldering inner fire that’s likely been suffocated by busyness, fear, technology overwhelm, and self-doubt.
Need more inspiration? These resources stoked my fire:
We Need Your Art: Stop Messing Around and Make Something by Aime McNee
Dear Writer: Pep Talks and Practical Advice for the Creative Life by Maggie Smith
The Artist’s Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity by Julia Cameron
Creative Act: A Way of Being by Rick Rubin
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