The Context
Thanks to our brain's inherent negativity bias, it's easier to notice what makes something suck than to notice what makes it great. But that brief exposure to what we don't want to can create a powerful energy source to be channeled into a positive executional direction. As an optimist by nature and a highly efficient person by training, this strategy is admittedly hard for me. The impatient part of my creative brain doesn't want to waste time on art that doesn't make me feel anything. But occasionally listening to shit music and reading bad books and seeing dreadful movies is a useful endeavor. In that moment, it may make us want to gouge our eyes out with a rusty fork, but in the long run, it might inspire us to do our version of work that makes a real difference in the world. It's not reverse psychology, it's not tricking ourselves into producing, it's simply one source of creative perspective.
The Tool
Negative Inspiration
NEGATIVE INSPIRATION — Using the exposure of what we don't want as a powerful energy source
Sometimes the best thing for us to consume is art that offends our soul deeply, if only to say to ourselves, okay, that's it, let me show you idiots how it's done. Believe it or not, there actually used to be a museum of bad art back in the nineties. Boston once had a community based, not for profit institution dedicated to the collection, preservation, exhibition, and celebration of bad art in all its forms and in all its glory. Moba was first housed in the basement of a private home. Now it mostly exists online, but there is a permanent collection that has over seven hundred pieces and a public gallery. According to the curator, the staff felt morally compelled to explore new and more creative ways of bringing this priceless collection of quality bad art to a global audience. And in fact, they love it when they find people arguing over the art in their collection. It frees people up to be comfortable using their own judgment when looking at art. If you spent an afternoon at a museum of bad art, there is no doubt you would come home later that evening and be inspired to create something. Never underestimate the power of negative inspiration. Next time you come across a work of art or a product or a service that is so bad it makes your teeth cry, remember that every emotion, negative or positive, is still an energy source, which means it can be converted. Are you exposing yourself to enough bad art? Thanks to our brain's inherent negativity bias, it's easier to notice what makes something suck than to notice what makes it great. But that brief exposure to what we don't want to can create a powerful energy source to be channeled into a positive executional direction.
The Rest
Next time you come across a work of art or a product or a service that is so bad it makes your teeth cry, remember that every emotion, negative or positive, is still an energy source, which means it can be converted. Are you exposing yourself to enough bad art?
The Benefits
Feel less alone as a criticized creator
Bolster confidence in your work’s impact
Remind yourself how far you’ve come
Covert negative energy in a positive executional direction.