Occasionally I get asked about the pictures I use in my posts, which are about 99.9% my own, as I get personal satisfaction creating as much content collateral as I can for my posts. It would would be more suitable to the post to grab a picture from the internet instead as there is an absolute mass of images that could be freely used, but I still prefer to have even my own lower quality images on my posts, even if irrelevant.
I have a decent camera and I am not the crappiest photographer in the world, but it isn't always handy to carry it around, which means that I have to rely on my phone to grab images at times. And generally, even the shots from my Olympus are edited on my Lightroom mobile.
However, one thing I really enjoy is finding photographic "content" in my daily world, which is absolutely everywhere. One of the benefits of not relying solely on images to attract an audience (as most people come for the words), is that the quality can be a little lower and still add value to the post itself. This should be impossible for a photography post though, as quality of the photo matters, especially since many think their images are standalone content itself - which is true, but photos don't tend to engage the audience very much, even if they like the images.
But, this post isn't about photographs specifically, it is about "finding content" which some people seemingly struggle to do. Sure, there are interest areas and preferences on what people are willing to post about, but a lot of people seemingly do not have enough inspiration in their lives to support a post. Well, more likely, people don't pay attention and think that much about what they actually experience, instead moving through their world on autopilot as consumers of information, not creators of thought.
It is an interesting thing to consider in my opinion and if people observed their thought patterns often, I think they would discover they think, far less than they think. The reason is that a lot of us consume content in our world that is already made for consumption, meaning that the majority of the ideas are not only already fleshed out, they are presented in a way that guides the viewer down the path. If you imagine a watching a movie, it is a timeline of events that moves in some kind of logical order and brings in the information the audience needs to see, when they need to see it. The execution of this varies, but generally the movies that are disjointed or require "too much thought" are not well received by the average audience member. Essentially, people want to sit down and switch off their brains, yet still feel that they have done something of value personally, even though they did nothing at all.
When we carry this mindset into our generalized experience, we tend to walk through the world eyes closed to content potential. However, a person who is more creative will be able to take these experiences that others walk past and flesh them out into a story that those same people who walked past the same thing, will connect with, because it is familiar to them. The mundane turned into the extraordinary, not through embellishment and lies, but through bringing attention to the minutiae of our daily lives and how truly spectacular it can be.
The saddest thing I hear is when people say "I have nothing to write about2 because what it means is that they are literally sleepwalking through their lives and not living at all. The world is glorious, even the most difficult parts of it and perhaps, especially the most difficult parts because they affect us the most, change us, impact on us and strengthen us into superheroes, or crush our bones to dust.
But, most people spend their leisure time consuming that polished content that is pre-chewed, rather than the yet to be formed content that is inspired by their experience and could be bouncing around inside of their head. It is like people have forgotten that humans have the most advanced entertainment system that has ever been created, that is always available and is always free - our imagination. But the less we use it, the less we can use it and as such, the less creative we become. This doesn't just impact on our ability to create and earn on content, but our effectiveness and relevance in the world as a whole, as if we cannot create value as an owner our thoughts, we have to create value as a worker of other people's thoughts. I far prefer to be an owner and creator of and from my thoughts, than a consumer of other people's and an employee hired to construct their imaginations.
The pictures are of a trash can at the hospital. It is padlocked because it could contain identifying information - one's trash, really could be another's treasure.
Taraz
[ Gen1: Hive ]
You are such a prolific writer and the most impressive thing is that you don't have to go back and beat a dead horse, you come up with a fresh voice, every single time.
I love the beauty of life, and it is the small things that capture my attention. Unnoticed. Perhaps not as showy as the others in its class. But, there is always something that will make it stand out as being different.
I like how you write with your pictures, even when they have nothing to do with the writing, yet everything about it is relevant. It is a gift that you possess and I am sure you have worked very hard to achieve this, and it is part of how you communicate.
I find that your pictures are fine, many times better than that.
I should have known. :) Right in plain sight.
Or at least hopefully, a different aspect of it. I do like exploring the same topic over and over to see how it or I have changed, or what I have missed. It is kind of like the movies or books that can be read multiple times, always with something new to find.
The little common thing in life are great to see through other's eyes - as they are normally things that we can all relate to, but don't necessarily experience in the same way.
:)
I like looking at and also taking pictures. As I have mentioned before I think you do a very nice job on your pictures and it is always refreshing to see people take that extra step in their post. I somewhat remember one of your two in one post, a photo type essay of I believe it was cherries, and then the words which really had no connection other than a slight mention of the cherries.
A picture may paint a thousand words, but a person real good with a thousand words can paint a hundred pictures or more.
I do not post to often, but the stuff I like to consume on Hive is stuff that is not readily available elsewhere. I like the uniqueness of a lot of Hive content.
I like the juxtaposition between images and content, where there might be a loose tie, but it isn't obviously suited. It is much like the titles of my posts. They tell what the post is about - in a very obtuse way :)
I hate those, "This post is about this and this" titles. But, many seem to like to click on those...
I have often thought that people ignore the importance of the post title. It is the first thing many see, if it is ordinary or plain and no style to it, is the post really worth reading? The title doesn't need to be a click-bait title but it does have to have some draw power to it.
Flair for writing, taking mundane elaborating with additional detail, adding photographs always good to explore thought process, behind the thought.
Photography, using your own was my very first lesson learned going online, never "borrow/use/steal" it could take you down a path you will not enjoy... pushed me to picking up a camera and yes, do your own! Not great but it is always mine.
Now the 'thoughts', well what is in the head does not always make it to the keyboard, nature mainly keeps me ticking over with travel which I enjoy sharing. Life's intricacies not so much, although I do jot a comment down that comes to mind when I feel the urge.
Stay well and keep well!
You become a slave in this way - going where led, never forging an individual path.
I do an exercise/game with English students sometime that goes something like:
Write down all the words that start with PU- in one minute. By the time they finish, they have thought of far more words than they wrote, it was just that they didn't start with PU.
Writing is the same. What makes it to the page has had 10x more thought excluded before it made it to the fingertips.
Push, punish, pursuance come to mind, words in a jiffy. Problem is writing not inciting, keep family out of it, relate but never become all inclusive.
Principles passed down by parents still stick, never discuss politics, religion and family in a workplace (we do tend to break last rule every so often), always remember never do harm.
Actually in writing one has to frame into a story as second person never too close. Oh plenty thoughts hit the brain, when writing many escape.... never to be found again!
The quality is subjective for sure in every content. Some people forgot the quality and just ignored it because of a lazy-writing. I'm not fit to say I have those skills of a quality writer but I write depends on my own satisfaction. Yea, you are correct about having the same thoughts as most people consumed and it's not new anymore. However, a creative mind indeed will explore more what to write.
Definitely write for yourself first and the more you grow into it, the more you will want to include others on the journey.
Love the post! And it seems timely as my daughter has Covid and we’re all mostly isolating at home, save for the odd fresh air lonely walk. So I’ve been wondering if if it would feel like I had run out of content. So far it’s been productive and just prompted me to try some more homebound options and as you say, be more creative. Well you will have to put up with at least a weeks worth of beach walks, cloud shots and baking because that’s what I’m doing right now. But don’t worry the content creating won’t stop.
Also, I only use my phone for photos since my daughter commandeered the canon camera and I find it far easier to hike with my phone.
I feel like I am home all the time (not quite, but almost) yet it is hard to run out of content if consuming the world attentively. There are so many lessons around us, so many things to explore. The killer is in the consuming of the polished content that doesn't encourage thought. Most people watch a show and don't actually think that much about what it contains after the credits roll.
I understand this. I just really enjoy photography too and I like to get into conditions phones can't handle. :)
I remember before joining hive, I was always complaining about how creative I was before I entered the university, I was good at writing ad other things, when I got too focused on my degree, I forgot all about the creative parts I used to have. I'm glad I'm on this platform to re-harness my lost skills.
creativity is a skill that we like to box into what we are good at - like drawing or writing. But, the creative mind is beyond the medium we use.
One person's thrash is another person's treasure. ;)
Likewise, one person's unlikeable HIVE post is another person's most treasurable HIVE post. :)
There have been some great shitposts in the past - but it doesn't mean all shitposts are not shit :)
True story! You pointed this out very well indeed, heh!
A lot of writings that could have made a difference,ended as thoughts.
Writing can be interesting and not easy at the same time. Choosing the way out- consuming polished pre-chewed content, isn't so great.
I honestly feel this post is directed to me.
I know I could write about a lot but then, oh well.. I'll do better.
The like the images in this post, especially of the padlock.
I is directed at you, as you read it. I really hope that everything I write connects at some level with everyone who reads what I write. I love writing, but I also do it because I want to add value to the conversation, even if it only happens in the heads of the reader.
That's good to know.
And you're doing it effortlessly.
I think those who say they have nothing to write about on hive really mean they are not sure that what they have to write will earn them rewards.
Also, most of them think they have to write a serious stuff forgetting that hive is a social network and expression of feelings
They are not creative, they use the potential f their mind to think about the endgoal, not the process to get there.
You always write about some good topics. So it is not important to focus on what others say and do. I am not good at English. So it is very hard to understand you fully for me. But I always try to understand your post. Because it is valuable.
It is worth being here and reading, just to improve your English skills. The better you get, the more valuable they become.
It's quite ironic to come across this post when i did. For one, i was just thinking how nice you and your brother's photos are. I was thinking y'all should try a photography post every now and then.... but i figured that you would have already if you wanted to.
Then when i saw the title... my first thought while i waited for the post to load was what you quoted at the end. One man's trash is another man's treasure. I was even trying to formulate a pun to joke about Steemit vs. Hive.
Then while reading, my mind kept seeing an image of a baby bird being fed regurgitated predigested food from a larger bird. Then i read you say 'pre-chewed.'
I think when it comes to thoughts or thinking that there are often overlaps. The scope and range of some of those overlaps are probably limited by the capability, or lack thereof, to adapt a thought process that transcends personal experience or one's own worldview. I feel like the science of the mind in individuals and groups is being exploited to help cultivate a populus that thrives in the mentally void spaces of where civilization is being steered.
Maybe it's more of a pattern depending on how a way of thinking is developed. It may take some sub or unconscious effort to actually not think. However, it's beyond provable modern society has been programmed to Be Programmed. Leave the thinking up to the ones in charge... or the experts, or the news, or the people with money, or the brands and companies we trust so much. It's like a neverending labyrinth for those blindly navigating the corridors of cognition.
I guess in the valley of the blind, the one-eyed man is king.
Thanks for the provocation to thought, as usual. =)
I completely agree. And not only that, it is being used to make us feel like we are smart enough to not be exploited, while we are consistently bent over and screwed.
We are consistently being broadcast messages that direct our actions with premeditation, and still we think that we are thinking for ourselves, as we do exactly what we are directed to do.
Precisely! We have all heard of cognitive dissonance and confirmation bias but I recently just found out about cognitive ease. I think you would enjoy scratching that surface if you aren't already familiar.
I think social engineering over the long-term has conditioned the masses to feel like the cognitive path of least resistance is probably the right path or the more virtuous one.
It feels like the infamous 'they ' have compartmentalized most of the predictable outcomes and have moseyed the herd into each pigeon hole fitting for the choice of the individual. Hegelian dialect all the way... thesis, antithesis, and synthesis.
Yes. they have made it appear that the workless life is the easy path, when it leads to an increasingly difficult future full of suffering.
And yep - compartmentalization at the granular level - makes us all increasingly fragmented from each other, with everyone an enemy. "Divide and conquer" in the digital age.
You know what? I might be guilty of this — most of the time I tend to ignore posts relying on attractive images which are obviously not taken by the author. In a way, that's almost like not liking the fact that clients of mine or my colleagues would use the stuff that we sell. Ridiculous but...perhaps that is the reason I rarely shoot for others now.
Well, at least on the blockchain, I like to see people's personal images no matter if they do not look pro. It's mostly the intent that matters. Some personal creativity. Personal view.
So, I've always liked what you're doing in that regard and respected it on a level that goes above that of the other case scenario.
As a bonus that I receive, I know that sooner rather than later, you will post a picture of a walnut again.
And this time it will remind me that it's time for me to go and harvest our walnuts.
Ever since I've heard about the Muck Rakers style of conducting journalism, I am quite conscious about my trash. Those were a special sort of paparazzi who mostly looked for personal details deduced by famous people's trash.
As in
Exactly. I don't know why so many people are hellbent on being like everyone else.. and then wondering why they don't stand out and get seen.
:D
I have many, but most aren't in easy reach and as you probably realize, when you see a walnut, the post is going to be around a certain kind of topic :)
The internet is nearly all muckraker now - digital trash recycled to condemn the people we don't like.
Imagine that in response I just pasted the meme with that dude tapping the side of his head.
:D
And btw, you have walnut trees??
Aye, I just came back from that garden I don't have the time and strength to take care enough of. But I am doing what I can.
The walnut trees...one is too old to bear lots of nuts but there are some. There are other, younger trees, also not too loaded with nuts. And a few saplings that grew naturally, not far from the elders...I am curious how many of them will grow to be wise men. I'm not taking special care of them yet. They might not need it. They came into this world without my help, so...I'll just leave them be and see what happens...50 years from now :P
I hope I'm not too old to climb when they are old enough to be climbed upon.
I couldn't like this post enough! I did a recent post on mindfulness, even my mount rainier post from yesterday talks about this. If we are present, we experience so many things. What a wonderful article you wrote and the picture is amazing.
Mindfulness is great (I am no expert on it) but, it can't be a buzzword, it requires practice. There is so much in this world that we can never consume it all, so I believe we should be more selective with our attention than culture encourages us to be.
That padlock came out pretty damn neat. Very clear and unusual photos. I think the reason why so few people have "things to write about" is that they are generally passive in their life. Spoon-fed content, usually of little intellectual value. Spend long enough on such a diet, it's no wonder your brain turns to mush and you have little to say for yourself. Your mind has grown disused with building complex content.
Exactly, spoon-fed mush, like babies without teeth. Our imagination is a content carnivore.
Writing is not easy. I think most people have content in their life but they don't have the skill to transfer and publish that as a post. You are an amazing writer and I am always a fan of your ability to link and provide plots to simplest of things in life. I try to imitate inspire but fail miserably. It is not easy at all 🤣
Skill is practiced - yet a lot of people still can't see their world through any other filter than the way it is presented to them. Consumers, not creators. Develop the image in the head well, the story tells itself. Writing is the ten percent of the solution, the imagination is the 90% the defines the problem.
Cannot told better than how you wrote 😇 See, you need that extra flare on writing. I agree, the skill can be honed but the way you look at things will generate the story that you want to tell people. Without a story and a tentative structure on how you want to say what you want to say, it will be a lot drier and difficult to produce a product that is readable. THINK - and write.
Exactly. Creative thought is a practice, not a right.
Today, with a mobile phone, you can take high-quality photos as a camera does.
Perhaps, people think that they don't have a content that will attract the auidence's attraction. I think that they have tried before, and after seeing not worth they search for a better content, or even left HIVE.
I disagree, but I don't have a crappy camera either :) It is all about the conditions - in bright sun and nothing moving, a phone does okay.
It is not the topic that attracts attention, it is the development and delivery of ideas. People look for a great topic, when there are many - where they fail is in the execution of imagination and their willingness to practice delivery.
This is just so soothing to the heart. Inspirationally digestible
thanks.
🙏🏻