Thoughts on Seth Godin’s “Icarus Deception”

Icarus Deception starts with a very Malcolm Gladwell-Esque story. Seth reminds us that everyone know how Icarus’s father made him wings and told him not to fly too close to the sun. He ignored this warning and fell to his doom. This parable was meant to remind us to play it safe and don’t reach too far into our ambition. It was essentially a lesson in obedience and conformity.

But, as Seth tells us, we forget that Icarus was also warned not to fly too low, because the seawater would hinder the lift in his wings. It turns out that flying too low is even more dangerous than flying too high, because it feels deceptively safe.

And so we begin.

When Seth writes about art, he never fails to include “disclaimers” — the tension, the fact that “it might not work”. Its a fascinating Icarus-esqse reminder in itself. As he tells it “This might end up in crying. If you’re not prepared to cry about it, I’m not sure you’re making art. And if you’re not prepared to dance in anticipation, you’re definitely not making art.”

The challenge, as humans who work, is to find the courage to treat your work as a form of art. It turns out it’s the safest place to be, as conforming to old ideals is now dangerous and what the world doesnt need more of, is cogs in a machine.

Be an artist. At every level. And don’t worry, it doesn’t involve drawing pencils or pottery classes. Being an artist simply means doing something unpredictable, something brave. Its about cultivating a mindset and an attitude. Its about foregoing the ideas of maps to where we want to get to, of dealing with the constant unknowns, of striving to make connections where none existed before.

Its about accepting vulnerability as a way of life, and caring about what you do and how you are in the world

Its a great read, and a must-read for anyone who thinks “I’m not artist”. If you care, you can create art.