Monthly Archives: September 2013

Creativity – The New Literacy for a New World

Someone whose work i really value is a guy called Scott Dinsmore, who runs a fantastic blog called Live Your Legend, which is all about making a difference by doing work you love. Sounds familiar right?

I’m very grateful to Scott for sharing the followinn video. up until today, i had no idea who Chase Jarvis was. I’ll certainly now be taking some time to find out.

 

In this viceo he voices much of what i share in my latest TED Talk. I share it not to be like ‘ohh i’m right’, but rather because of something one of my mentors said: that whenever a change is rising, first you have an agreement about it, and that after this comes a shared language that allows the agreement to be communicated to others.

This is what i feel is happening now, and why i’m inspired to share this great video. There is a shared language emerging that is allowing us to articulate and understand why creativity must be held as the new literacy if we are to create the new world we know is possible.

So without further ado…Chase Jarvis and creativity:

Chase Jarvis from Chris Guillebeau on Vimeo.

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Poets Are The New Politicians…

In Creative Uprising, I suggest that performers are the new politicians.

My contention is that ‘we the people’ have lost faith in our governments, and as a result, are turning more and more to artsits and performers to gaina  sense of clarity and perspective on current affairs.

If viral buzz is anything to go by, then spoken word poetry is certainly playing a significant part in offering alternative conversations to the political mainstream.

In this post, I’ve showcased four poets who have wowed me recently.

First up, a couple of poems from Hollie McNish.

You may have seen this doing the social media rounds – the perfect reposte to the red-top tabloid, EDL vision for Britain

And having recently become a father, i’m very grateful to Hollie for making a stand and to all the other mothers whose refusal to be cowed has meant it’s now fine for my daughter to be fed in the best way whereever she is.

You may have heard this interview, where i share some of my views on how important i feel it is that  education evolves to truly serve the new digital, connected era we live in.

That’s why i love Suli Breaks. Here are four videos that i believe any parent or child should watch:

I chose Hollie and Suli because they really speak powerfully on vital issues. The next two poets i’ve chosen less for their issues, and more for the power of their speech, which is simply captivating.

As if to prove poets are the new politicians, here’s the frighteningly talented Joshua Bennet performing at The White House

And here’s the darling of The Guardian and The Independent, and recent winner of the Ted Hughes prize, Kate Tempest:

So what do you think? Can poetry play its part? Can art move mountains and help to shape the new world we long for?

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