Against the Tide of Conformity
In times of yore, when art did freely bloom,
And creativity's light chased away gloom,
There stood a foe, unseen yet vast and grim,
Standardization, which made innovation dim.
"Conform!" it cried, to all who dared to dream,
In digital realms, where thoughts and visions teem.
The vibrant hues of novelty did fade,
To shades of grey, in dullness they were laid.
Yet in this age, some hearts still bold and true,
Defy the call, their unique paths pursue.
They craft with joy, not for mere gold or fame,
But for the love of art, they stoke the flame.
So let us stand, against this tide that drowns,
And hold aloft our dreams, despite the frowns.
For in our souls, the spark of creation glows,
Against standardization, our spirit shows.
Standardization slays creativity, a regrettable motto that today seems to echo through every corner of the digital world. Year by year, the palette with which we paint new ideas narrows to shades of gray, all within a safe and predictable spectrum. It's as if the risk of innovating has become a luxury that no one wants to afford. Companies and developers are trapped in a cycle of replicas and minor incremental improvements. There's no longer room for brilliant whims, for that spark of madness that gave us unique products, perhaps imperfect, but full of character.
I miss those days when creativity was the currency, where the value of a product lay in its ability to make us exclaim, "Wow!" or "I would have never thought of that!" The economy of surprise has been displaced by the economy of profit margin. It's increasingly rare to find someone who creates for the sheer pleasure of creation, not driven solely by sales figures or market trends.
In the realm of video game development, for example, the riskiest and most experimental titles are often relegated to the background, labeled as "indie" and not given the chance to shine in the main showcase. It's ironic that what was once pioneering is now considered alternative or even niche. Genuine innovation is being suffocated by a cushion of comfort and conformity.
Thus, this call to standardization, though comfortable and familiar, is the silent executioner of creativity. It's the ghost in the machine, pressing gently yet firmly, guiding us down a well-paved path but devoid of breathtaking views. What will become of us, of our culture, if we continue on this path? Today's standardization might be tomorrow's oblivion, where future generations will look back and wonder, "Where were the dreamers?"
Do not let yourselves be tamed by the call of standardization. Let your creations be a reflection of your passions, not just market studies. May the economy not crush the emotion that creation entails but nourish it, so that the act of creating remains an exciting adventure, a journey full of surprises and not just a mere step in the production line of the next standardized product.