Inspiration is Everywhere
Finding Wisdom in Unexpected Places and Listening to Overlooked Voices
This is part of my “Art of Noticing” series, in which I learn, find, or discover the things around me that usually go unnoticed and turn them into an endless source of creative inspiration.
Today I read a little bit of wisdom written down by the local homeless crew. It made me realize that maybe we shouldn’t be dismissing the voices we automatically tend to dismiss.
Off ramp. Route 71 Eastbound to Congress Avenue in Austin. There’s a crew who either lives up there or hangs out there all the time, and I’ve often been interested to see what they’re up to. It’s nothing like the way I live, but it’s living just the same.
The other day, I saw this: something new they wrote.
In case you can’t see it or the image didn’t come through, it says (sic):
What happen[ed] to the good in people?
Just putting people down who are down on [their] luck.
You just treat us like we are [junkies].
It just got me thinking, was all. People do treat them like they’re junkies. I’ve thought it myself. I don’t put them down, but I have to admit I haven’t thought of them the way I think of myself. I know that’s shitty. So the real insight here is, Stop being shitty.
As artists and writers, we should be open to finding inspiration in unexpected places and from overlooked voices. In just a small way, this crew is full of writers, too.
Here's how this "noticing" can benefit my stories and art:
The Hidden Genius in Everyday Life
Often, we think that wisdom can only be found in scholarly places like … oh, I don’t know … maybe our own Ivory Writing Towers. (Or perhaps colleges and museums.) But that’s bullshit, and we all know it when we think about it.
Personally, I’m going to try and keep in mind that art and wisdom are everywhere—from the graffiti on a freeway wall to the music of a street musician. Keeping our senses alert to unconventional messages can give new depth to creative work.
Let’s Not do that “Prestige Bias” Thing
“Prestige bias” means that sources that seem more prestigious are more worth listening to. Obviously that’s crap. It also limits our scope of inspiration, and that’s a bad idea for creators.
It’s not just known artists, bestselling authors, and celebrated scholars, who do the world’s thinking. Everyone does, including this small reminder to be human and kind from the most unlikely sources.
Dismissing what’s unconventional overlooks a ton of inspiration and new perspectives. Whatever you see or read, wherever it comes from, maybe take a moment to consider the message behind it.
Expanding Diversity of Thought
Engaging with different viewpoints — any different viewpoint — not only broadens your own perspective but also enriches your creative work. Hearing voices from different walks of life helps break stereotypes and generates more authentic — and grounded, and steeped in the real world — art. \
So the next time you pass by that street artist or listen to a local band (or, in my case, that homeless sage), actually pause and think about what you’re experiencing.
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Whether it's Plato or a message scrawled on a urinal, pay attention.