D is for Deviant

Things are getting pretty Desperate in the D and in the fight for survival, we better start getting Deviant (in the positive sense).

While researching the nature of creativity in individuals, one book referenced a most inspiring & insightful, commentary - guide on "How Fringe Ideas Create Mass Markets."  The Deviant's Advantage claims:  

"Deviance transforms traditional markets and washes them away.  Apply any measurement you want and you'll see that the tides of deviance are clearly gaining in their attack against the beaches of social convention.

By the same token, the well of deviance also irrigates the imagination; offers an inexhaustible font of new ideas, products, and services; and, in the end, is the source of all innovation, new-market creation, and, for business, ultimately represents the basis of all incremental profit.  Deviance equals innovation and innovation offers opportunity." 

The book has a local connection in that the two co-authors grew up in Metro-Detroit, with one of them, Ryan Mathews still residing in the area as the Founder & CEO of the firm, Black Monk Consulting. 

The art & music worlds attract a fair share of deviants who are trying to survive on the fringes of society, and who are often scorned by people identifying themselves as "normal - average" Americans.  Some creative persons choose to use shock value in their work for various reasons and see themselves as agents of destruction out to shake up the system offering their form of social commentary on society. 

While many will label what they view as socially deviant works as disgusting trash, others may not put a high value on such work but it might open minds to a perspective that had previously been absent.  Deviance is a matter of perspective and positive Deviance needs to be embraced as a source of creative stimulus which needs to be nourished.

Right now the state, region and city are on the economic edge of despair, the state is nearing record high unemployment the Detroit region continues to post the state’s highest unemployment rate at 17.7 percent and Detroit rose to 28.9% during July, the highest rate since modern record-keeping began in 1970.

If we are going to get back our competitive  edge, we need to reward Deviance and put out the welcome mat for Deviants to come to the D.

The Deviant's Advantage features some quotes by Charles Handy, an Irish author/philosopher who specialized in organizational behavior & management and this one makes for a fitting closing to this post.

"The hope lies in the unknown, in that second curve if we can find it.  The world is up for re-invention in so many ways.  Creativity is born in chaos.  What we do, what we belong to, why we do it, when we do it, where we do it--these may all be different and they could be better."