Serious vs. Solemn

Now that I get the TED Talks downloaded straight into iTunes, I've been feasting on new ideas and topics. One of my recent favorites is Paula Sher's talk, "Great design is serious (not solemn)".

Well-known in the design world as someone who creates trends rather than follows them, Ms. Sher talks about the difference between serious play and solemn work. When we have the intention of truly being in the moment, of playing and exploring for no other reason than to play and explore, that's when real creativity comes forth. Once we put a high value on something, a style or an end product, then the work becomes solemn, and takes us out of the moment. We then lose any playfulness and sense of exploration.

So much of American life has become solemn, and look where that's gotten us. We're long overdue for some serious play.