When the world feels heavy and full of suffering, creating art can feel… unimportant. Maybe even irresponsible. Shouldn’t we be doing something more “serious,” more productive with our time, energy, and resources?
 
And yet, that’s exactly why art is needed.
 
In her TEDx talk, “The Case for Making Art When the World is on Fire,” Aime McNee reminds us that art is not extra. It is essential. It’s how we tell the truth of our times, process grief, imagine new futures, and remind ourselves that while we are part of the whole, we are more than a number.
 
It’s how people laugh, and wonder, and see beauty when the world is struggling. Take that away, and people’s minds can become pulled into the abyss of discord.
 
Reading through the comments on that video is proof enough: people felt seen, understood, even healed. In my opinion, it’s 15 minutes that every single person should watch. She makes a strong case for why everyone needs to invoke their creativity, not just “creatives.”
 
Of course, surviving is foundational, but no one was meant to spend their lives locked into a survival mentality. Maybe art is your job, and maybe it’s not. It doesn’t matter.
 
I thought of this so often while creating the Saboteurs Slinking in the Shadows podcast. I could have made something less artistic and less elaborate, saving myself time, money, and energy. 
 
But I saw a vision of what it was meant to be. And to do less wouldn’t have the power to reach into someone’s imagination and shift how they see themselves. 
 
That’s the gift of art – it changes us, sometimes for a moment, and sometimes forever.

 
So no matter what your art is, no matter what it looks or sounds or feels like, don’t wait. Don’t second-guess. The world needs your creation now.