Blog #3

1. Acknowledging The Lizard

        “Acknowledging The Lizard” is a unique layer that describes part of the brain as “the lizard.” It’s the part of the brain that worries about safety and exploits our anger. When we are laughed at the lizard shuts down our art. When our art is shut down by the lizard it can be referred to as “the resistance.” This resistance makes us feel ashamed, and encourages us to follow the rules. Art doesn’t follow rules. However, when we are mocked or excluded the resistance wins and shuts us down. One example that is given in the reading explains that if you don’t complete your homework for your teacher she punishes you and the next time your doing homework you make sure it’s completed. In this situation the resistance has won the battle, you have given into following the rules. When it comes to creating art, the resistance is so easy to takeover. Therefore, we must ignore the criticism and skeptical remarks.

2. Connect

        The layer “Connect” deals with social media. This layer explains that as a social media user, we shouldn’t be looking at the number of followers we have or at how many people write on our “wall.” We should be more aware of what we are learning about other users that we couldn’t connect with otherwise. Social media must be used in the right way for users to benefit properly. Social media has opened the door to a whole new way of connecting. This layer explains that if we appreciate social media and use it properly we can go over the threshold and not only touch people but also gain authority and power. One example in the writing talks about a viral poster of President Obama spread across the internet and eventually became a cultural icon. The future is all connected. It’s up to us, the users to do it properly and effectively. 

3. Making Art

        “Make Art” is a layer that explains what the word “Art” truly means. Art doesn’t have to be a drawing or a poem, it’s something anyone can do. If your interacting with others and making connects that generate something new and different it’s considered art. Art doesn’t have rules and art is very risky. A teacher is an artist. Teaching kids or whomever it may be is considered art. If you are creating new ideas and bringing people together on a human level then you are creating art. When you create the uncreated you will be greatly rewarded and creating art is definitely worth the risk.

      Creating a blog this quarter can be connected to Seth Godin’s “Brainwashed.” Blogger.com is an application created by Google that allows people to connect on many levels. When it comes to the seven layers this blog falls under a few of the layers discussed. As a blogger you are experiencing the social media world.

       “Connect” is one layer that explains if social media is used properly, us as users can gain a lot from correctly utilizing the functions of social media. We as students can us this blog tool to become more connected with each other. Doing this blog will help us as students because we need to be more in tune with each others ideas and creative processes.

        “Making Art” is another layer that can also be used to interpret these blog assignments we’re doing for class. The blog is art. Seth Godin explains that making art doesn’t have to be writing or a painting but it’s how ideas connect us and it’s about creating the uncreated. Creating posts and being unique while writing our blog posts can help us connect to other students and possibly give someone a new outlook on a particular topic. We can help plant a new idea in someone else's head and therefore pass our ideas along. Like said in “Brainwashed,” our future is all connected, and we can all help put others by creating art.

        As students and especially bloggers we must "Acknowledge the Lizard." As explained in “Brainwashed,” when we acknowledge the lizard we can avoid and ignore the resistance that is created when people mock or criticize our art. We can easily be shut down by the resistance because we are opening ourselves and our art up to an entire class of students. Having our art judged is a feeling caused by the resistance, however, if we acknowledge this problem and understand it then we can ignore the resistance.

This layer idea is interesting and I believe after reading about it, it can better me as a student. Not only does it keep me thinking about this new way to perceive “art,” it also makes me think about this spot in my brain referred to as “the lizard.” Overall I think Seth Godin’s “layers” idea is unique and interesting and multiple layers can be applied to our blog assignments.