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Seth Godin takes us on a journey based on the legend of Icarus. Here’s the legend according to Wikipedia:
Icarus is the son of the master craftsman Daedalus, the creator of the Labyrinth. Him and his father attempt to escape from Crete by means of wings that his father constructed from feathers and wax. Icarus’ father warns him first of complacency and then of hubris, asking that he fly neither too low nor too high, so the sea’s dampness would not clog his wings nor the sun’s heat melt them. Icarus ignored his father’s instructions not to fly too close to the sun; when the wax in his wings melted he tumbled out of the sky and fell into the sea where he drowned, sparking the idiom “don’t fly too close to the sun”.
Book premise
The idiom “don’t fly too close to the sun” was born, and people focus only on that. But the idiom is missing the critical part that is part of the story also. Flying too low would make him close to the saltwater and would ruin the wings. So why don’t people focus on that part also? Seth Godin points out that being a cog in the machine, a “factory worker” that follows orders and is average is a thing of the past. Art can only be created if you escape this mindset, so Seth Godin challenges us to make our work a piece of art because it is different and breaks social convention. Can you do it?
Why did I like it?
I like the way that Seth Godin writes. He doesn’t write in a “conventional” way that facts are explained, and chapters are followed with a conductive story based on a specific formula that you should follow. That would defeat the purpose of the book of “creating art with your work.” The book reads as a sort of think exercises that force you to take the concepts and look at them differently. This will make you think for yourself, something that most of the time people don’t want. They want a “do A + B, and you’ll be successful,” and we all know that’s impossible. So I can only recommend that you read the book, take the conclusions that apply to you and make art. Regardless of your job, you can make art and, dare I say, be happy.
Where you can find it
Want more? Check my other books’ suggestions.
Disclaimer
I have no affiliation with this brand or person (people), and the views here are my own. I didn’t have any bad experiences, but if you do, please know that this is a recommendation, and you’re always free to make decisions by yourself before buying something.
