A postcard from the (Zoom) table
Discuss
Over the weekend I was part of a closed-door reading group by an art museum, where I was invited as a discussant. (Between you and me, I didn’t even know the role, let alone the term, ‘discussant’ existed until I received the invitation.)
I won’t talk about the thoughts and observations in the lead up to the event in this postcard—not yet anyway. But I will answer one of the questions of accessibility and spreading the word (whatever the word may be) that was brought up during the session.
Some people believe to “spread” the word, the product must be free—free for all. Including the person who elbows others out of the way to grab a free tote bag, knowing she has at least 50 others left in a pile in her storeroom.
That the way to celebrate an artist is to bootleg their work and then claim you’re helping to spread the word of their work.
Some people think the goal is to reach “everyone”. That a conversation on an important topic (in the eyes of the speaker) must reach everyone.
Yet attempting to water down and adjust the spice level to appease entry level diners means you’re neither here nor there. You’re not cooking for the early adopters, the ones who live for the heat; neither is there a guarantee the newbies, who you watered down your dish for, will return for the next service.
The masses will always find something wrong with the message (if they choose to listen at all and are not distracted by the new shiny, cheaper object). The way forward with an issue that is important to you is to bring those conversations to your existing tables. To go beyond the pages of a story. To not exert energy convincing the naysayers, but to engage in discussions with like-hearted persons. Not to expect immediate change to happen from a single interaction, but to push the needle a little further; to fry those onions a little darker.
And while someone may be yelling over your shoulder, “It’s going to burn!” you follow your nose, your intuition and plate up that dish for the ones waiting eagerly at your table.
This week, I’m
reading: This is Marketing by Seth Godin
working on: an upcoming workshop
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