45 Comments
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Eleanor's avatar

For whomever is reading this substack article, please listen to the audio while reading. It’s transformative and gets you deeper into the exercise. Thank you!

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Noora Yasmin's avatar

Thank you for the public service! The audio takes it 10 steps deeper ❤️

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Jaya's avatar

<3 thanks for the call out

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Thor Dorosh's avatar

After reading your article; your claim that cretivity and making of objrcts builds our identity, that art is a act of identity construction. I think that it applies well to one of Derrida's books called 'Archive Fever' in which he describes our instinct to preserve and collect; to construct an personal archive of objects, memories, etc. The only difference really between you and derrida is that you are stating that we construct the things we place in our archive, that these are tools of self-definition (and thus self-determination), compared to that of just collecting things we do or are idenified with. I think it is interiesting how the act of archiving and maintaining created objects is assumed within your article, compared to (for example) that of sand art which is meant to be destroyed after (to reduce the connection to the world). the implicit goal is to increase our connection to the world...

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Jaya's avatar

that is so cool that Derrida so early classifies overcuration that way - I guess we always had that in us to create cabinets of curiosities. I think that cabinets are precursors to us making our own furniture anyway - ones that are too full can be difficult to open and dissect why we like things tho. Lots to think about! I'm going to check out this book :,)

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Thor Dorosh's avatar

I've growing mildly obsessed with the work of a particular anthropologist called Sasha Newell, I'm not sure how accessible academic articles are to you, but I highly recommend 'The Time of Clutter: anti-Kairos and Stroage Space in North American Domestic Life' (published 2023 by Anthropological Quarterly 96(2)). It does a really great job describing how objects act not only as a tool of identity but as a weight upon us, something we don't exactly have control of that haunts us.

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Jaya's avatar

so cool omg going to add to my read list 😁

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Daisy Edwards's avatar

Wow also adding to my list!

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dylan's avatar

I recently began hand sewing myself a bag made from old use denim and had been thinking about the role that crafting/creating plays in my life. You articulated a few of the thoughts I had amazingly!

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Jaya's avatar

that's so wonderful :,) thank you dearly

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Melissa's avatar

Clinucal art therapist here 🙋🏽‍♀️ to say ABSo freaking LUTELY 👏👏

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Jaya's avatar

wooo

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CC's avatar

Nice piece! Im assuming the images are from a film - can you share what it is?

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Jaya's avatar

The fish image is from a Japanese film called The Fish Tale, the ones toward the bottom are a photo shoot!

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CC's avatar

Thank you!!

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Manorma Pandey's avatar

What a wonderful read! Makes me feel inspired to create more to know myself deeper

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Jaya's avatar

thank you so so much 🍊

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Natasha  Lorde's avatar

This was an amazing read! Thank you.

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Jaya's avatar

thank you so much!

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ᜏᜌᜏᜌ Hadrianus's avatar

Thank you for this, just what I needed!🤧

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Jaya's avatar

:,)))

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mehvish's avatar

I absolutely cherished this, thank you so much.

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Jaya's avatar

:,)

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The Wallachian Girl 🖤❤️'s avatar

This is exactly the kind of content Substack wants and needs, and excellent work putting it so effectively into perspective! 🖤❤️

Likewise, great to meet you, and I’m glad that you’re finding Substack to be so rewarding! 😊🧡📄

Likewise, if you’re interested in a fresh perspective on culture, lifestyle, and politics, I’d really appreciate it if you could please subscribe to and comment on Letters From the Castle 🏰🌙💜

My latest post: https://thewallachiangirl.substack.com/p/the-bazaar-girls

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imaan 🪷's avatar

don't know why i'm coming across this post now, but, "a defiant stand against meaninglessness" ‼️ say it with me, "a defiant stand against meaninglessness" ‼️‼️

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Jaya's avatar

:,)))

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Arnold Ssain's avatar

Off to creating…

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Jaya's avatar

yayy

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Timothy Nisly's avatar

One unintended benefit of writing on Substack has been having an archive of posts chronicling what I was thinking through, when. As I look back on a couple years of posts, I see the "me" I was constructing in real time. I imagine it's like journaling, except to post something publicly you feel the need to wrestle it down, not just record your immediate thoughts.

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Jaya's avatar

right :,)))

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Gabriela Vazquez's avatar

"Creating is, fundamentally, a defiant stand against meaninglessness."

Just excuse me for a minute while I go get this tattooed.

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Jaya's avatar

made my whole day 🫂

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Gabriela Vazquez's avatar

Honestly same!

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Shafiqah Othman's avatar

Writing and crocheting truly helped me gain a sense of self. I've always loved crafting and it took me a while to find something that truly sticks, but here I am now. The sentimentality of making something with your own hands is a feeling that you truly cannot replicate.

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Jaya's avatar

that is so beautiful 🫂

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Bailey Reutzel's avatar

This was such a lovely little practice! Thanks for pushing me to take some time out of the day and draw some apples. Mine started more tomato like, but then morphed into a shiny green apple. :) And definitely inspiring me to get back into a little mini-creativity routine. I started the year strong in that regard, but then have gotten bogged down with work and kinda let it slip, but let's fucking go now.

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Jaya's avatar

tomato to green apple transition wow 🙀how different is it when we insert time into the equation — I’m so so glad this helped you get back into creating thanks for reading <33

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