Into the (Creative) Void

If you are a designer, or pay attention at all to what the design community (read: the weblog community) has been saying today, you'd think the entire world went into a state of repugnant shock and Armageddon was fully upon us. Bottom line, if you are a designer, an artist, a musician, a writer, or any type of creative at all, you voted for Kerry and are devastated right now. The vast majority of my friends around the country and world fit into this category, and the depression felt by all my professional colleagues right now is palpable and thick. Pea soup meets solid lead thick.

I certainly didn't get much work done today, because I'm depressed and sick over the election results, and after talking with a bunch of my designer friends, they didn't either. Now here's the hypothesis I pose to you, my loyal readers (who are mostly of the creative persuasion): because of the election results, production in the creative industries will drop 50% this week, and the following weeks. By creative industries, I mean design, music, writing, and the rest of them.

I don't feel inspired to do work. I've got projects after projects that need my design skills applied to them, but they're at the back of my mind right now because how can I exercise the liberal part of my brain when the entire liberal section of my country was so soundly defeated? I expect many designers to feel this way (and I know many do) so we'll see what the creative output of this country is the next few weeks.

Comments

[Brad Daily]

I wouldn't be so quick to cast all us designers into Kerry's camp, Creatives for Bush: we're just a quiet minority :)

I agree with you though, I wasn't disappointed by the results, but couldn't get anything done tonight and I don't have great expectations for the rest of the week because of such a long, late night Tuesday...

[David Schontzler]

i hypothesize that creatives will continue to create and the world will go on.

[Nicole]

Though I'm not a designer, I definitely didn't get much programming done today. Partly because of exhaustion from staying up too late watching results and partly because of the ensuing political discussions and intermittent crestfallen-ness.

[Mike]

Okay, Brad, I should have said "creatives who live in the United States and voted in the election."

Happy? :)

[Brad Daily]

Mike - Getting there :)

I am an American, so I voted via absentee. I must say though, most of my resident country (Canada) seems to feel as you do.

[Andrew]

I got more work done thanks to these wonderful election results. And this time the site I'm making actually looks decent. Thank God for GW Bush enhancing my design skills ;-)!

[Jakob]

I came across this in lessig's blog:
"I’m going to spend time these next few days looking for the America in my heart. It may be a while before I see it anywhere else."

I think that sums up my feelings. Your statement Mike extends beyond the creative realm as well. Engineers and architects, a group dominated by a youthful majority will also see this lag in production. I can see the fringe of it already creeping into my work- an almost plain, "time to work, blah" mentality.

Also, given world perception, my email has been afire with friends from European countries who have watched American politics from the outside. While I do not doubt there is some worldwide support for Bush, the majority of the Blogosphere seems to paint a very dark picture.

[David Schontzler]

While I do not doubt there is some worldwide support for Bush, the majority of the Blogosphere seems to paint a very dark picture.

I thought we already learned from Dean that the internet is no source for popular political opinions. I mean, a lot of people that are active on the web are more inclined to be of liberal persuasion, so that seeps through. I'm not a big fan of either candidate, but I was almost surprised that Kerry didn't win... until I remembered Dean.

[Josh Bryant]

"if you are a designer, an artist, a musician, a writer, or any type of creative at all, you voted for Kerry and are devastated right now."

Ha! Amazing. That is the funniest thing I have read all day. I sincerely hope you are not that misled.

[Judy]

Love your enthusiasm, Mike. But come on- I had to endure the Clinton's, you can make it thru the Bush years. I am an artist who is a faithful visitor to this site."The world according to Mike Rundle" should expand to include us all.

[Brian Cornett]

Getting your information on worldly views from the "blogosphere" is about as silly as getting candidate information from netwrok news.

Life will go on. America will go on just the same. What makes a designer a designer is the creativity to think and create something original and innovative no matter what the environment.

[Derrick]

I realize that I am by no means a designer or even remotely into the same industries that you and many of your friends are, but come on Mike: "Bottom line, if you are a designer, an artist, a musician, a writer, or any type of creative at all, you voted for Kerry and are devastated right now." That is seriously horrible. You of all people should know the inability to generalize a population, especially considering that the Iraqi war, the economy, and Kerry's "plans" (no to mention a few others things as well) dominated the political realm the past few months.

Either way, I feel that most industries were going to decrease productivity this week no matter what the outcome of the election. I'm working in the House Committee on Science and the staffers, both majority and minority staff alike, got nothing done at all on either Tuesday or Wednesday.

[Cody Lindley]

Mike

Short side my friend. Tell me your really not this self-diluted. Your blanket statement is making me question your ability to think rationally.

While I might not agree with your political and likely moral beliefs I really disagree with you on your pessimistic blanketed statement that was just thrown over my head.

I'm a creative and actually have found great pleasure in the results. The nation voted their morals (as indicated by several polls). This has renewed my thoughts towards our country regardless of who won.

Seriously, take some deep breaths, clear your thoughts, and repost again.

[Dann Ryan]

It's politics, nobody thinks clearly, although I am a little taken back by the generalizations you made in your post, I think it was inevitable. I am the firmest believer in not discussing politics or religion among friends, and this is just another example of where it brought turbulence. Sorry man.

[Nathan Logan]

*yawn*

Another tired, whiney, unfounded, and sweepingly generalized post about the "loss". Perhaps some, even those who voted the same way you did, are rational enough to admit that the world won't end tomorrow and that in spite of disappointment, they can continue being professionals...

Sorry to be harsh, but frankly, I'm immensely tired of these Xeroxed posts. We know that a lot of you A-listers don't like Bush. Can we move on now?

[Honus]

Mike, it's best to leave politics on the teevee and internets (god I love that word) and talk about it, but never let politics ruin your life, or diminish creativity or have any derogatory effect.

The thing is, both Kerry and Bush are not real people - they are people we will never meet. And since that's the case, I don't let them bother me whatsoever, or ruin productivity. I do my work regardless.

When things that very directly affect me - family strife, money woes etc, hit then I am affected. But politics on the whole is so remote and so ridiculous that's it not worth getting worked up over.

If this be your venting post and it's what you need to do to feel "better" about the whole thing than so be it. We all cope in different ways. [Though when I cope I do so for myself and not for everyone through blanket statements ;-)]

[Adam]

Oh man. You are wayyy too arrogant!

Grow up, move on, and stop assuming what others want because, obviously, you are wrong.

[Mike]

Oh Nathan, you and your A-List talk :)

This post was basically an extension of the conversation I had with many friends online that discussed why people in the creative community tend (and by tend, I mean the vast, vast majority) to vote for Kerry and are Liberal. That's about it.

I wrote this entry from my experience with every single creative-type person I know (I guess I talked to 40+ people about it) and none of them voted for Bush, nor said that they could ever imagine any other creative voting for Bush.

Brian - there's a difference between "getting my information from the blogosphere" and speaking with friends of mine (who happen to have weblogs) about it.

[Jeremy Flint]

I am a designer, and I am a conservative. I could tell I was in the minority in the creative industry last spring at SXSW04 during the MoveOn.org and Joe Trippi presentations.

At the same time, I do not wear my politics on my sleeve. I am interested in them, I do follow them somewhat, but I don't usually raise a ruckus when things don't go my way.

I am somewhat suprised at the outpouring of gloom and doom by many in the blogosphere. I feel somewhat certain that you wouldn't get that from those who voted for Bush had he lost.

[Adam]

Mike, it is no surprise you and your forty college friends feel that way. RIT students have never been known to be the most enlightened bunch.

Ya, ya, I know... you mean't your other "friends" who just happen to play in the blogosphere.

Whomever it may be that is encouraging your clouded judgment needs to join you in maturity class. Maybe you can get a group discount?

Life goes on, the world will not change. All thats different is that there will be more work for those of us who are able to cope with reality after your clients fire your unproductive behind.

You've managed, somehow, to be "productive" the past four years, no? Just do whatever it is you were doing...

[Mike]

Adam, in the last election I couldn't vote, so it didn't hit home as personally as this one did. And where's your real email address? C'mon, we're all friends here :)

[Adam]

Jeremy,

I agree with you.

All the whining you see here and elsewhere in the sphere is simply mob-mentality. This mentality is present back in reality too as evidenced by the arrest of some other self-centered upstate ny college students yesterday.

The whole model of this environment is based off the teachings of a very small group of sites and people.

Granted we all contribute, but lets be honest... There are but a few key players.

It seems all the college kiddies getting their kicks off their first election are just echoing the sentiment of their web designer-sphere role models.

[Nathan Logan]

"none of them voted for Bush, nor said that they could ever imagine any other creative voting for Bush."

If that's not narrow-minded and prejudiced (prejudice: The act or state of holding unreasonable preconceived judgments or convictions), I don't know what is.

Not even being able to imagine that creative/Republican people are conservative?! Perhaps you aren't as creative as you think...

;)

[Adam]

Mike,

You can find me at adam at acurazine dot com.

I don't post my real e-mail because it is printed directly in the page -- I get enough spam ;)

[Mike]

It seems all the college kiddies getting their kicks off their first election are just echoing the sentiment of their web designer-sphere role models.

Um, nope. These are my own feelings, and I happened to discuss them with people I know, so if that makes me a bandwagon jumper, then maybe I have a lot to learn about personal opinion-making and judgment.