The Icarus Deception
In Seth Godin’s most inspiring book, he challenges readers to find the courage to treat their work as a form of art
In Seth Godin’s most inspiring book, he challenges readers to find the courage to treat their work as a form of art
Everyone
knows that Icarus’s father made him wings and told him not to fly too
close to the sun; he ignored the warning and plunged to his doom. The
lesson: Play it safe. Listen to the experts. It was the perfect
propaganda for the industrial economy. What boss wouldn’t want employees
to believe that obedience and conformity are the keys to success?
But
we tend to forget that Icarus was also warned not to fly too low,
because seawater would ruin the lift in his wings. Flying too low is
even more dangerous than flying too high, because it feels deceptively
safe.
The safety zone has moved. Conformity no
longer leads to comfort. But the good news is that creativity is scarce
and more valuable than ever. So is choosing to do something
unpredictable and brave: Make art. Being an artist isn’t a genetic
disposition or a specific talent. It’s an attitude we can all adopt.
It’s a hunger to seize new ground, make connections, and work without a
map. If you do those things you’re an artist, no matter what it says on
your business card.
Godin shows us how it’s possible and convinces us why it’s essential.
