Brendan Dawes
The Art of Form and Code

Scrubbing the floors instead — why I no longer worry about keeping up with the latest technology trends

I used to worry about keeping up with the state-of-the-art; I used to worry whether I knew enough about that latest technology that had everyone talking, writing and blogging. How could I possibly make work and get clients if I didn't keep up to date with all that was possible? Then I realised that none of it mattered. I realised that this thing I'm being commissioned for, this thing that people hopefully connect with is not the technology. They connect with the human universalities that have always and will always be there; joy, happiness, anger, sadness, curiosity, optimism and many more. These are the embedded traits that interest me.

Whilst I still learn new things everyday, I'm no longer bullied by fleeting trends. I love this quote from Laurie Anderson that seems to sum up how I approach things now.

“There is a state of mind that means being open to anything and trying to be extremely vulnerable to things. I try to know nothing, to be simple, curious and open. And I try not to be clever. That’s the state of mind. And you can’t always get into that. If you are feeling frazzled or preoccupied you won’t make it. So I don’t try. If I know I’m feeling like that I’ll scrub the floor instead”

—Laurie Anderson