Cultish Creative Weekly (4/13/2024)

It feels like we’re living in a vacuum right now - this space in front of the US Presidential elections in November. You’re getting extra Wyclef vibes from it too, right? “Gone ‘til November” anyone?

On our latest Breaking News episode, we got into this. How politicians and policy makers can and will take every story, data point, and sentiment at their disposal and put it to use. Or, how they might (deliberately) put it on the furthest back burner imaginable. But either way, a lack of nuance isn’t helping anything, and a rush into nuance might be the only thing that saves us.

Where’s the nuance?

In our curiosity.

In our questions.

In our ability to talk about these things.

In our ability to laugh at stuff.

Makes me think of conspiracy theories (which we discuss, in some fun detail!). How they’re fun when they’re outside-the-box “puzzle” thinking. How they’re dangerous when they’re hiding-in-the-basement-box “insurrection” inducing. I’ll have another post on this later this week. Meanwhile, check out “Number Go Up For November” on YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts.

Also on YouTube, I rolled out the official Cultish Creative channel this week, along with my brand new show, “Just Press Record.” The first official episode is all about options and decision making. Yes, we get into financial options, or at least the theories behind them, but mostly - we avoid the jargon and talk about the psychology of building a portfolio of options in real life. For you, for your kids, for the people you work with.

I’m not putting it lightly when I say Brian Portnoy and Mat Cashman got downright spiritual on this one. Do check it out.

In the Personal Archive, I added entries on:

I think all of these “words” and their meanings is super valuable to think through: This Is Not That (Fans, Customers, Communities, Audiences, And Assets) 

TV moment magic from the 70s (that also helps to explain Paul Simon’s joke about John Denver in The Greatest Night In Pop): The Greatest Award Ever Lit On Fire On Live TV

3 Body Problem, 1 TV Solution (what did you think of the show? And if you respond, did you or did you not read the book, I’m super curious)

This customer service lesson is WILD: Why Jay Leno Won’t Buy A Ferrari

TV moment magic from the 90s at the bottom of this one. MTV Beach House anyone?: Try To Ruin It, But You Make It A Hit (Radiohead Edition)

and all the posts, of course, here!

What’d you like the most? What would you like to see more of?

Oh, and last but not least, if you’re sick of me, let me recommend this excellent talk between Tom Morgan and Justin Castelli I’ll likely be sharing thoughts from soon: