Episode 8: The Limitation Game

Send us Fan MailWhat is true artistic freedom? We’d all almost certainly argue that it looks something like having no boundaries or restrictions to one’s creative process or the time needed to perfect it. Maybe it means having the resources to rent a studio and pay musicians for months on end, or maybe it looks more like being able to create any convention-defying work you want without fear of rejection or financial consequence—ideally, not a podcast. Regardless, we all have a tendency to romanticize the freedom which, in practice, is often both unrealistic and ineffective while resenting the limitations that, in reality, can actually be beneficial as they force us to rein in our perfectionism and discipline our process. Note: The truth is, Brett and John were about to be late for a movie, so they made the topic on the benefits of limiting factors and hoped you’d think it was enlightened. It was not, but hey, at least you only have to listen to them ramble for half the time.-What is it about creating “conventional” art that seems so repulsive, and in what ways has our deliberate striving to feel original prevented us from disciplined growth?-How can daily, scheduled creative periods and deadlines aid in getting us out of cycles of inactivity and perfectionism?-How does Brett and John’s limitation of endlessly overthinking how they’re being perceived benefit them in the creation of a podcast that is shorter than normal?As always, Nah-cademics offers no definitive answers to these questions—well, except maybe that last one (answer: heh heh, it does not.)—it is but the, usually meandering, chatter of fools, but if you find yourself creating only excuses but never any art, this podcast is for you—and we’ll only be enabling your distraction for half the normal time. Come, overthink with us!JohnDennisMusic.comBrettRyanStewart.comWirebird Productions