MY TAKE ON RELIGION

Before I start off anything else, I would just like to say to everyone who may be reading this... that these are my thoughts, I believe however, that you should at least consider what I am about to say. It is not fact, or neither is it a piece undermining anyone racially or culturally.

In this piece, I am going to talk about Creativity! Linking it however, to one of the most taboo subjects of all when it comes to what I am about to say. Now... prepare your mind!!! I have just succeeded in making this a very serious post didn't I? 😂... well, I wouldn't like anyone to think of it that way.

Creativity as a whole is a very controversial topic to the world as I would think everyone has a different opinion as to what it really is. However, we can agree on something... it has to do with creation... and whatever it is we create, we can agree also that for it to even be considered... it has to be something of a particular purpose to society and the world at large. It has to be inspirational and guide us to civilization. This is how I tie it to religion. It doesn't matter which... I’m referring to all of them, Christianity, Buddhism, or even Islam and the likes. Have you ever sat down and asked yourself why we have so many different religions with all of them preaching different ways of living? Yes... I just went there and I knowing you are judging me right at this moment... it’s okay... judge me. I don't care. No no no... I’m just kidding. Believe it or not, I want you to get to the end of my boring lecture.

Anyway... back to the issue at hand... religion. I am not about to discourage you in whatever it is your religion. If anything... this should make you stick by it even more.

I believe religion is good in most ways. As I had said, have you ever wondered why there are so many religions followed in different parts of the world? And if you are following one... how do you know your religion is the right one to follow and not the one actually leading you astray?  We may never know. I said that to make everyone realise that no one in this world has a right to undermine another’s religion, for we really have little to no knowledge at all what our neighbour’s religion is preaching.  I think it is reasonable though, to say we have only one creator. Almost all of us may agree on that. If we do agree... then how come we are so divided in religion?

I personally think religion was someone’s very creative, well planned and structured way of enforcing law and order into the world. With the sole aim of guiding our race to the right and more sensible way of living.

 I’m at it again, aren't I?😂 Well, relax and hear me out.

Religion is very complex, each and every one of them. We can agree that we all have the kindest of behaviours to promote in almost all of our religious beliefs. Now, would it be wrong to think it is possible that this was all thought out by one person and the rest in different parts of the world just mimicked? Food for thought!

One thing we can be sure of though, is that almost every religion there is in the world was meant for the greater good to the people who follow it. There some parts we don't fully understand about every religion and some will forever be mysteries. As much as some people are scared to admit it, but doubts do come in some topics. we are only human. Whichever God it is you may be sending your prayers to, do you honestly think he would have a problem with you utilising the mind he gave to you?

In conclusion, without our religions we would all be lost. Every religion there is in the world, to me has about the same right to exist as the next. I believe in the end everyone will be judged upon what their beliefs are.

INFLUENCES

In my post about creativity, i mentioned that for me to view a product as "creative", it has to be an improvement of what came before it. and i believe that i, myself, am a product of creations and people who came before me. my mother and father are obvious choices. but i wanted to focus on my style icon. Mr. Masego "Maps" Maponyane.

Maps is a fashion designer/model/television presenter/entrepreneur. his exceptional taste in clothing and health care got him the recognition of South Africa's best dressed man in 2011 and two years later (2013), he was voted sexiest man in South Africa by Cosmopolitan Magazine. For more information on  this, you can visit http://www.sportingpost.co.za/profile/maps-maponyane/



Not too bad for a farm boy, Mr Maponyane. I can't believe I'm about to post this! But if this somehow one day lands in front of your eyes to read (i hope), please don't sue me. I'll probably be rich then.


To set the record straight, Maps is the  of a local football legend, Marks Maponyane, who played for local football greats like Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates. So no, my beloved reader, Maps is definitely not a farm boy.

Since 2013, he worked hard in growing himself and establishing himself as a brand. He collaborated with Augustine and released his range of men's designer shirts and suits to influence his passion for clothing on other South Africans such as myself. Most of my clothing and sense of style is inspired by him together with other style icons and celebrities.

SIDE PROJECTS AND HOBBIES ARE IMPORTANT.

(live a little, man)

In the book Steal like an artist, the author Austin Kleon also teaches us that Side projects and hobbies should not be disregarded in our daily lives. It is important to constantly keep in touch with the playfulness inside of us. It is what keeps us sane. Give yourself something to do on your spare time, try to keep busy as much as possible with the things you love most. Try everything out to make sure that when you say you don’t like something, you know exactly how you mean. Who knows? Maybe you may get some profit in it. After all, what is more pleasing than making a living out of what you love? If it makes you happy then do it. Incorporate this into your life somehow.

So let’s go seize the day people! Let’s be young again! Let us live! Do the things we love while doing the things we hate. Think about it... when was the last time you played or did anything spontaneous? Yah! I’ll wait.

Anyway... here is a little project I gave myself and I actually found out I could have what it takes to be a model. Well... I don’t know. You decide.





















And all i did was call a friend.

photos by Boitumelo Hlakudi. For more of her work, visit her instagram page at Boitumelo_photographer

THE CREATIVITY IN MARKETING (ritual spending)

Here is another thing you probably haven’t considered and probably won’t do anything about because you are already immersed into and accustomed to the lifestyle, even worse, your loved ones are. To explain, by ritual spending I mean the clever ways that marketers use to force us to spend and buy their products. As much as we are being conned into it, there is still some good in it so I guess everybody wins at the end of the day.

Think about Valentine’s Day, father’s day, mother’s day, Christmas and the likes. If I asked you now, “why is it that we invest so much of our time and money into these annual rituals?” From the top of your head, you’d most likely respond “Because we care about the people in our lives, our mothers, fathers, children and lovers.” which may be true! But what if I told you most of these were created and fabricated with the sole aim of convincing the average consumer that spending is necessary during this time? Most of these are being used by marketers to promote their products and getting us to buy them.  This is a creative way for companies to maximise profit. They work hard in making spending a culture. They make you feel so stupid for not participating in it... of which you actually might be. Honestly though, think about it... how many people buy gifts for their mothers on mother’s day? How many parents buy presents for their children on Christmas? Think about how much more money one specific shop makes on that particular day? A truck load of money!

One most popular example of ritual spending is marriage engagements. I would say this was the best scheme of all. Who in the world came up with the bright idea of us men having to use diamonds to symbolize our love and commitment for women in engagements? We need to find him and shoot him! Actually, that would be too easy. Make him sleep on a bed made of needles. Now, that would be something. Go to http://www.americangemsociety.org/the-history-of-the-diamond-as-an-engagement-ring to read more about the history of diamond ring engagements.

We can conclude though, that this has brought us more good than it has brought harm. At the end of the day, the smiles on the faces of the people we love and their satisfaction is a far greater reward than any amount of money. I admit it... I took it a bit too far. Money is life.

CREATIVITY (in my mind)

Creativity according to me is the ability to make, create or design something of a particular use or importance to society and the world at large. This can be something that already exists and improving it in an extraordinary way, or something that has not been done yet, something original, of which in my view, is almost impossible. I personally believe everything that exists now is an improvement of one thing before it, and in honest truth, most original ideas have long been exhausted. Austin Kleon explains this in better detail in his New York Times best seller of 2012 steal like an artist.

I feel we cannot view something as “creative” if it does not serve a particular purpose or is not recognised for any importance in our lives. Creativity results in meaningful products all the time. If we cannot find a use for it or appreciate it in some sort of way, then let’s be real, it has no value. It is practically insignificant! Like a picture to a dog, you think it sees it and reminisces on all the good times you had with it? Okay, bad example! But admit it, it’s funny. Okay, you are still not laughing. Well, this is awkward!!! My point is that, if nobody wants or needs it, then I feel it shouldn’t even exist.

Now, we cannot deny that some people are generally deep, technical thinkers, and this is how they are able to come up with great ideas and exceptional work. It is not a bad thing, really. I do, however, think the best portrait for creativity is simplicity of thoughts, designs and creations in any field of practice one is in. Be it photography, writing design and the rest. Your carrier is still as important too if I didn’t mention it.

As we discussed... alright! Let’s be honest. We didn’t discuss it. I mean, it can’t be a discussion if one of us is talking and one is doing all the listening or in this case, reading! Let me rephrase that. “As I said”... now, that makes more sense. AS I SAID, it is almost impossible to think of anything original. Almost everything in this day is an improvement of what existed before it. Of which brings me to my next point. Creativity always has to be inspired by something or someone. There should be a reason as to why we make and improve things. So with all this said, to me, creativity is the ability to simply come up with ideas to solve problems and to improve on what already exists into something better.