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A review by richardbakare
The Creative Act: A Way of Being by Rick Rubin
3.0
Rick Rubin’s self help guide is just that; a short read masked in beguilingly large format. There is no memoir here or name dropping. Just a deeply contemplative exploration into his experience and perspective on the creative process. I have seen it recommended everywhere and referred to by friends and colleagues. It is also a book I have struggled to get behind.
I read it from a distance. Rick Rubin gives his own disclaimer at the start but you should add another layer of filtering yourself. His ideas are often brilliant but a quick search will show that Rubin’s reputation is suspect. There are various instances when he’s made overtures of support or affiliation with unsavory characters. That said his creative output cannot be denied. So this breakdown of his views on creativity is magnetically alluring.
The singular focus with which he approaches discussions on artistic creation are mesmerizing. Almost everything else comes second. Perhaps this mono vision contributes to his political and moral ambiguity; which makes it hard to accept him fully as he is. His consistent call for approaching life with a clean slate beginners mind allows that ambiguity to make more sense.
If you can compartmentalize some of his retweets and other political punditry you should pick it up. Even if you are not an artist, there is a zen to being and doing here that is worth reading. You can feel the enveloping calm radiating from the pages and around you. I would rate it higher if I was sure that there won’t be some bombshell expose that exposes more nutty behavior and have me regretting ever picking it up.
I read it from a distance. Rick Rubin gives his own disclaimer at the start but you should add another layer of filtering yourself. His ideas are often brilliant but a quick search will show that Rubin’s reputation is suspect. There are various instances when he’s made overtures of support or affiliation with unsavory characters. That said his creative output cannot be denied. So this breakdown of his views on creativity is magnetically alluring.
The singular focus with which he approaches discussions on artistic creation are mesmerizing. Almost everything else comes second. Perhaps this mono vision contributes to his political and moral ambiguity; which makes it hard to accept him fully as he is. His consistent call for approaching life with a clean slate beginners mind allows that ambiguity to make more sense.
If you can compartmentalize some of his retweets and other political punditry you should pick it up. Even if you are not an artist, there is a zen to being and doing here that is worth reading. You can feel the enveloping calm radiating from the pages and around you. I would rate it higher if I was sure that there won’t be some bombshell expose that exposes more nutty behavior and have me regretting ever picking it up.