Comments on Cuero

Cuero has a lot to say here, especially about how people can find success despite adversity. His essential answer is: creativity. And one of the essential things relating to creativity, for him, is to be "intense". And he elaborates on what he meant by intensity by explaining it is to be "very focused and without fear of failing in the process." This, I think, is a base necessity to confronting the reality of creative work. I always find the fear and angst (unless that is the topic of the piece) are crippling to both the completion and the quality of work in a creative piece. Whether it's art, poetry, film, animation, short stories, etc. the drive has to swallow up the fear.

"Be good. And respect people." is Cuero's insightful reaction to prejudice. By building a 'shield of goodness' towards people, he says he keeps himself from overreacting to prejudice against Africans and African Americans. His optimistic attitude and a consciousness of his disposition towards goodness are helpful things I can pick up in my own life as well. I heard somewhere recently that young adults are often very cynical, and Trump probably doesn't help with that. But trying to see opportunity for 'progress' is essential to a creative mentality.

I think I can use this in my own life. By trying to ground my aspirations in 'intensity' and maintaining a creative optimism, I will be able to utilize art and technology to my own advantage to enrich my being as a whole. The final gist of Cuero's thoughts were essentially 'be humble'. There is no need to belong to some 'group' or prestigious social institution to do good and be kind. Humility is something I believe would be worth learning about, but like the rest of his philosophy, is kind of a process.