If you’re looking for something to read this weekend, I’ve got just the thing – Ryan and Tina Essmaker’s The Great Discontent.
“The Great Discontent is a journal of interviews focusing on creativity, risk, and what connects us as artists.”
I haven’t read nearly as many interviews on this site as I’d like to, but here’s a good place to start: Jen Schuetz and Naz Hamid of Weightshift, a digital design and development studio in San Francisco, California.
What I really loved about this interview was their description of being conscientious of adding to internet “noise.” Here are a few outtakes.
JEN: “…With regard to the Internet, I’ve actually removed myself from certain environments online because I don’t like the resulting conversations. I’m not on Facebook, and I never will be. I barely check Twitter. There are certain aspects of the industry that I love, but I don’t like to totally subject myself to all of it because it affects who I am. I just want to be a happy person and not be embroiled in stuff day in and day out—because it doesn’t stop. We are oversaturated. Before I send an email or a tweet, I try to think about how it’s going to affect the people I’m sending it to and how I will be affected, depending on their reaction.”
NAZ “I think it’s this idea of a considerate approach. How much thought do you put into something before you put it out there? Will you be proud of it at the end of the day? I think it’s easy to jump to conclusions and pick up the axe and pitchfork, but how can we be more judicious with our time rather than just add to the noise. If anything, I’d like to contribute less to the universe.”
———————
NAZ “The question is, how do we make what we do more personal? Instead of making an app for 500 people, how do we get to know a smaller group of people on a deeper level, over a longer period of time? We want to talk to people like we used to instead of putting out a tweet or status message. In some respects, communicating is becoming a lost art form.”
This. All of this speaks to me.
When I think about social media, especially the way that my clients and I use it for our businesses, I try to avoid teaching “tactics.” I focus on storytelling and helping the people you’re trying to reach – providing something meaningful or valuable versus logging a certain number of tweets per day.
The way we communicate in business and in personal relationships is constantly evolving, but no matter what we should always strive to be thoughtful in what we’re putting out into the world. Giving parts of ourselves by sharing our stories is what keeps our high-tech world human. I hope that’s something we never lose.
Don’t forget to read the rest of the article on The Great Discontent, and check out some of the other amazing interviews too. There are lots of inspiring people there. Thank you so much, Ryan and Tina!
Have a great weekend! xoxo