The Word You Choose Is Material
A Short Sharp Shock
If only that was the case. But it isn’t. Is it?
If you were setting out to build a house, or even a garden shed, you need tools and materials, which you might buy from your local hardware store that likely promotes itself as a purveyor of ‘quality hardware materials’.
When next in London, you might pop into one of the quality tailors on Saville Row to invest in a new suit … made using only the best materials - of course.
Saville Row is of course famous for its tailors and I am sure that many a customer bought a quality suit if they were heading to court as a material witness.
My point? ‘Material’ is a word of substance and character that we also once used to describe our writing, art and scripts. No longer.
I can’t imagine that when George Schlatter first saw Robin Williams perform at the Comedy Store that he asked him if he had any more content!
The new word, ‘content’ is a transient word, ephemeral and not differentiated.
In the days when creative forces had books full of material, silos were where you found content.
Of course, that hasn’t changed. The modern silos are online places like Facebook, TikTok, Instagram et al - and that’s where so much of the world’s creativity is being poured - only to be released through algorithmic spigots - so I guess it’s appropriate, but that doesn’t make it right.
It also doesn’t mean we should accept it. Just because the silos need content that we have to date provided for free in return for a few likes, doesn’t mean that we should continue the practice.
If we stopped, then the new silos would look just like the old unused silos.
Or even better - repurposed.
Would love to hear your thoughts.
