What are You Prepared to Give Up?
Creation over Consumption
For the past year I have been thinking about, talking about, and trying to live out an idea which I don’t yet understand.
The idea, as it stands, is creation over consumption. It is a statement of value: our lives should hold creation over and above consumption. Our lives should be about making, establishing, and building rather than the things we buy, what we eat, and where we get entertainment.
I did not stumble upon this idea because of philosophical prowess or pursuit.
It is a practical idea in the most practical way. Creating more and consuming less would be, at least, more productive. You would get more done if you created more and consumed less. You would certainly waste less time.
At best, the idea leads to spiritual vitality - a reorientation to your purpose.
This idea solidified when I confronted the definition of the word consume.
Consuming does not mean merely looking at your phone or watching tv. In fact, the primary meaning of consume is to use up, waste, or completely devour. So negative was the connotation of consume that the wasting disease we now call Tuberculosis was once simply called consumption.
We are a people consumed by consumption.
We are a people who waste our own time looking at screens.
We are a people being used up by our phone additions.
We are a people being devoured by our comfortable distractions.
To a healthy culture, creation over consumption would be a truism. To us, I believe it will be a rallying cry - a reminder of who we are meant to be.
The problem I currently face is that I consume too much.
This idea has been in my head for months. I have explained it in writings and endorsed it from a stage. I started a non-profit art center because of this idea. Frankly, the alternative (consumption over creation) scares me to death.
I believe it, and yet I still feel consumed by my own consumption. Most days it’s the news and Instagram reels. Sometimes it’s YouTube, podcasts, and stand-up comedy. More often than I’d like to admit, it’s murder mystery sitcoms.
I know what is right, and what will fill me up. I know what will drain me of my purpose. I do what I do not want to do. I don’t do what I want to do. I know what is good and I do the opposite. I know what will harm me and I do it anyways.
In response to my own consumption, I have decided to make a clean-cut.
For the 40 days leading up to Easter, I will be fasting from news, Instagram, YouTube, podcasts, stand-up comedy, and even murder mystery sitcoms.
I will be fasting from media consumption.
Each day, instead of my usual habits of consumption, and in place of all my normal distractions, I will write a reflection. Each will be posted to this Substack under the heading Creation over Consumption.
We’re all distracted.
It’s high time we put down distraction and place creation over consumption.
You can follow along by reading these daily reflections starting March 5
Or you can join me