What’s your Ratio? Consumption vs Creation: A Question for the Modern Age
In our hyper-connected world, we're bombarded with information, entertainment, and products vying for our attention. We scroll, we click, we watch, we buy. It's easy to get caught in the endless loop of consumption, becoming passive recipients of the world's offerings. But have you ever stopped to consider the balance between your consumption and your creation? Are you primarily a consumer, or are you actively contributing and creating?
Think about it: how much of your day is spent consuming versus producing? We watch hours of Netflix, scroll through countless social media feeds, and listen to podcasts on our commutes. While these activities can be enjoyable and even educational, they often fall squarely into the realm of consumption. We're taking in information, entertainment, and other people's ideas, but are we generating anything of our own?
This isn't to say consumption is inherently bad. We need to consume to learn, grow, and be entertained. The problem arises when consumption becomes the dominant force in our lives, leaving little room for creation. And as the saying goes, how you spend your days is, of course, how you spend your life.
Consider YouTube, a massive platform for both consumption and creation. Millions upon millions of people watch videos every day, glued to their screens, consuming content created by others. They are the viewers, the consumers. On the other hand, a much smaller percentage are the creators, the ones who spend time planning, filming, editing, and uploading videos. Even within that creator group, a smaller fraction consistently produces content. And of those creators, how many are truly focused on creating valuable, helpful, and productive content that genuinely benefits their audience? The numbers dwindle further.
This disparity highlights a fundamental truth about our modern world: it's far easier to consume than to create. Creating something – whether it's a piece of art, a blog post, a new business idea, or even just a well-thought-out email – requires effort, dedication, and a willingness to put yourself out there. Consumption, on the other hand, often requires nothing more than a click.
We're not just talking about big, groundbreaking creations here. Creation can be as simple as writing a thoughtful comment on a blog post, sharing an original idea with a colleague, or teaching your child a new skill. It's about actively engaging with the world and contributing your unique perspective and talents.
So, how do you want to live your life? As a primarily passive consumer, absorbing the creations of others? Or as an active creator, contributing your own unique value to the world? What percentage of your time do you hope to spend consuming versus creating/connecting/building? These are important questions to ponder. The answers will shape not only how you spend your days, but also the impact you have on the world around you.
“How you spend your days is, of course, how you spend your life” - Annie Dillard
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