The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance | Isaiah Hull | TEDxManchester
The speaker, a poet from Old Trafford, argues that creative work like poetry must originate from a genuine personal compulsion rather than a desire for external validation, evidenced by his realization that his early writing was motivated by receiving positive reinforcement from teachers. He details his journey from writing for homework to feeling pressure regarding his artistic identity, ultimately warning against the dilution of originality in contemporary poetry through mere trend-chasing. The core theme is the necessity of answering the 'Why' in creative pursuits.
## Speakers & Context
- Speaker: A poet from Old Trafford.
- Self-identification: Sometimes called a poet; identifies as a poet "by name" and "by it," but distances himself from traditional definitions of poetry.
- Current Projects: Writing a book titled *How to Sell Drugs*.
- Source Material: Brought a book with him, despite feeling awkward and unsure how to speak to the audience.
- Background Context: The local area, Old Trafford, is undergoing changes (e.g., Seahawk lounge turning into flats/Tesco), making his childhood memories feel intrusive.
## Theses & Positions
- Poetry is something difficult for someone from his area (Old Trafford) to do, suggesting it is not traditionally "cool."
- He initially wrote poetry to redeem himself because he was never "cool."
- Early writing was driven by seeking validation ("positive reinforcement") from teachers, which he views as an "dishonest" motivation.
- Creativity, particularly art, must be rooted in a personal, compelling "Why," which is a driving force for life and art.
- Modern poetry, particularly slam poetry, risks being "dilute in the economy of poetry" because many use buzzwords or address current events (Donald Trump, Syrian crisis) only for "clicks" rather than genuine feeling.
- Originality is paramount; if an idea has already been said, the poet should not say it unless they can say it better.
## Concepts & Definitions
- **Poet:** Someone who engages with poetry, though the speaker rejects being strictly defined as one.
- **Poetry/Slam Poetry:** A mode of creative expression that the speaker views as having a current issue with originality and over-accessibility.
- **Gatekeepers:** Entities or standards that control who can successfully be a poet.
- **The 'Why':** The essential, driving personal question that must guide creative output.
- **Escapism:** The motivation behind writing and drawing in high school, used to escape the monotony of that period.
## Mechanisms & Processes
- **Self-Correction/Redemption:** Attempting to create art (poetry) to counterbalance a perceived lack of "coolness" in personal identity.
- **Artistic Stifling:** The risk of becoming trapped in the *idea* of why one creates ("drowned in the idea of why") rather than actually living the creative life.
- **The Poetic Analogy:** Comparing poetry to a lineage where the "gods" are mentors, and the poet is taught by those taught by the gods (Titans/Prometheus fire analogy).
- **The "No Gatekeepers" State:** The current ease of posting online means virtually anyone can write, which is neither good nor bad, but threatens originality.
## Named Entities
- **Old Trafford:** Location associated with the speaker's background.
- **Sainsbury's:** Store where the speaker claims security guards might dislike him.
- **Liverpool:** City where the speaker performed and was called "streetwise."
- **Young Identity:** An organization where the speaker learned to love poetry, noting it is homegrown and has workshops.
- **Ariadne:** Mentioned in relation to a co-founder of Young Identity.
- **Bercovich:** Poet mentioned in conversation regarding slam poetry.
- **John Cooper Clarke:** Poet cited as an example of a strong era/pioneer.
- **Euripides:** Mentioned in connection with a cave the speaker wished he could use for writing.
- **Donal:** Mentioned alongside John Cooper Clarke in an enumeration of poetic eras.
- **Titans/Prometheus:** Mythological figures used to illustrate a struggle for knowledge/fire.
- **Isaiah:** Name mentioned regarding a Twitter account.
- **Jonah:** Mentioned in relation to a potentially uplifting TED talk.
## Numbers & Data
- Age when starting poetry: **11 years old**.
## Examples & Cases
- **Early Poetry:** Given for homework in primary school and receiving positive reinforcement.
- **High School Writing:** Writing and drawing served as rebellion against the monotony of high school life.
- **College Writing Ideal:** The "Euripides cave"—a private room where he could slip poetry under the door for payment.
- **Poetic Style Examples:** Reciting a poem about a "box full of eyes with a body that God couldn't hide" featuring vivid imagery and evocative language.
## Tools, Tech & Products
- **TEDx event:** The setting where the talk was given.
- **Book:** *How to Sell Drugs*.
- **Twitter:** Mentioned platform for following poets.
## References Cited
- **Brilliant Ideas Podcast:** Podcast where the speaker heard the concept of "black privilege."
- **John Bercovich:** Poet referenced in discussion about slam poetry.
## Counterarguments & Caveats
- The speaker notes that he often speaks in a rambling manner, apologizing for his conversational style (e.g., "I'm not doing that but sugar").
- He admits to struggling to articulate the "Why" until prompted.
## Methodology
- **Self-Reflection/Deconstruction:** The entire speech functions as an act of deconstructing his own artistic process and motivations.
- **Anecdotal Evidence:** Relying on personal life events (primary school homework, high school boredom, move to Old Trafford) to build an argument.
## Conclusions & Recommendations
- The most important thing is to keep asking the "Why" in your creative life, as ignoring it will lead to bigger problems later.
- Recommendation to focus on original compulsion over external acclaim or marketability.
## Implications & Consequences
- The shift from physical community anchors (Seahawk lounge) to commercial development (flats/Tesco) threatens the physical space for memory and reflection.
- True creative freedom requires resisting the desire to achieve "coolness" or gain social validation.
## Verbatim Moments
- *"I'm writing a book called how to sell drugs"*
- *"I don't know why poetry is the thing that I do"*
- *"I'm a poet by name I'm a point by it I don't really uh not really a point"*
- *"It wasn't cool it's never been cool to do poetry"*
- *"I was doing it for the teachers to tell me that it was good"*
- *"Young identity is where I learned to love poetry"*
- *"My duty to I don't know my duty as a writer rather than whatever my duty as a writer"*
- *"I feel like my wife should be changed to you know see for the people rather than for myself"*
- *"I hated high school obviously I told you already what was the point in this life"*
- *"I have to do something because if all I can do is write I know that I'm drowned in the the idea of why"*
- *"If you're not gonna say it better or originally if you're gonna say it better and it's already been said or try at least try to then why say at all"*
- *"The Y is important because the wide drives me the Y is is something that you can't be"*
- *"killing me softly killing me softly killing me softly killing me softly"*