I make lots of mistakes, and have certainly felt (and store) the shame that accompanies then, and … at other times I’ve celebrated them as collaborations from an unknown source. Perhaps I celebrate and cringe at the same time.
But creative work thrives on mistakes I think, or it has in my case as they relieve me from the burden of doing things “correctly”, which I find completely paralysing.
After all the whole concept of a mistake seems to be a purely human one, related to an intended outcome. Other non-human animals and other forms of life just acquire differences in response to whatever is happening. Sometimes incredibly useful or beautiful, and sometimes ultimately fatal. Whether the mistake is “bad” or “good” probably depends on how it meets the surrounding conditions.
There’s some kind of unspoken social pact though that perpetuates the idea that mistakes are always bad, and discourages us from making them our celebrating them. Seems such a waste of creative potential for new responses. And conversely, each mistake I make or see could be a friendly flag of encouragement for more of the same.
As you say Steve, some mistakes have incredibly negative consequences but perhaps it’s not the mistake itself that is the problem but the unrealistic goals we put in place that make disastrous mistakes more likely.
I notice writing this, the risk that I have “written too much” or become longwinded and boring. A kind of mistake relating to the social pact that I perceive and suffer from. So in the spirit of non-compliance to that system, I’ll just post it anyway.
In her book 'The World is a Carpet' Anna Badkhen tells that when a carpet goes to market, the first thing the dealers look for is a mistake. Perfection belongs to Allah and the carpet would be unsaleable. Once they find a glitch, they are happy to give a price.
I make lots of mistakes, and have certainly felt (and store) the shame that accompanies then, and … at other times I’ve celebrated them as collaborations from an unknown source. Perhaps I celebrate and cringe at the same time.
But creative work thrives on mistakes I think, or it has in my case as they relieve me from the burden of doing things “correctly”, which I find completely paralysing.
After all the whole concept of a mistake seems to be a purely human one, related to an intended outcome. Other non-human animals and other forms of life just acquire differences in response to whatever is happening. Sometimes incredibly useful or beautiful, and sometimes ultimately fatal. Whether the mistake is “bad” or “good” probably depends on how it meets the surrounding conditions.
There’s some kind of unspoken social pact though that perpetuates the idea that mistakes are always bad, and discourages us from making them our celebrating them. Seems such a waste of creative potential for new responses. And conversely, each mistake I make or see could be a friendly flag of encouragement for more of the same.
As you say Steve, some mistakes have incredibly negative consequences but perhaps it’s not the mistake itself that is the problem but the unrealistic goals we put in place that make disastrous mistakes more likely.
I notice writing this, the risk that I have “written too much” or become longwinded and boring. A kind of mistake relating to the social pact that I perceive and suffer from. So in the spirit of non-compliance to that system, I’ll just post it anyway.
Have a nice day everyone, mistakes and all!
In her book 'The World is a Carpet' Anna Badkhen tells that when a carpet goes to market, the first thing the dealers look for is a mistake. Perfection belongs to Allah and the carpet would be unsaleable. Once they find a glitch, they are happy to give a price.
Much more human than the guilt of 'original sin'
Love this. I think your views on glitches are spot on. Thank you.