What does your mixtape sound like?
I urge you to deeply and carefully contemplate who you wish to be
There was a time when I was a very popular mixtape maker. (Mixtape = “a compilation of favorite pieces of music, typically by different artists, recorded onto a cassette tape or other medium by an individual.”)
I took immense pride in my creations and called each of these cassette masterpieces a “Mick’s Mix” (insert rimshot here) — giving them out to friends, family members, and co-workers on birthdays, holidays, etc.
Such gifts blended my tastes with the close attention I’ve always paid to the style and preferences of the people in my life. It thrilled me to no end when I’d see friends talking about, comparing, and sharing my tapes.
After casting his 1993 film, Dazed and Confused, director Richard Linklater made a very specific cassette mixtape for the primary actors. These tapes, of course, featured music from the 1970s when the movie’s plot takes place.
Linklater’s goal was to imbue each member of the large ensemble cast with a unique, distinct vibe. Such tapes inspired a cinematic blend of the director’s tastes and the interpretations of each actor.
Perhaps you smell a mixtape metaphor brewing?
We have an incredible amount of autonomy as to what our metaphorical mixtape sounds like. For example, who we are right now has been partly shaped by our cultural choices, e.g. music, books, film, art, etc.
Other mixtape ingredients include the friends we’ve made, careers we’ve pursued, geographical locations we’ve lived in, and spiritual paths we’ve taken. All of our choices — large and tiny — influence the quality and tenor of our daily, hourly life.
Do we listen? Are we compassionate? Is forgiveness a regular part of our day? How often do we laugh or cry? Do we practice gratitude? These questions could go on for pages… but I think you get the idea.
I urge you to deeply and carefully contemplate who you wish to be in 2024 and beyond. As that vision takes form, keep in mind how much power you have in shaping your life.
If you don’t actively use that power, others (social media, news feeds, politicians, government, corporations, pop culture, charismatic sloganeers, etc.) will gladly shape your life for you.
So please, get to work on a new metaphorical mixtape. The world needs what you — and you alone — have to offer and I for one am looking forward to hearing it!
********************************************************************
It would be deeply appreciated if you’d sign up to become a paid subscriber for as little as $5 per month. It directly enables this blog/podcast to keep going and growing. You can find the link at the bottom of the post.
If you prefer, you can make a one-time donation whenever you’d like by clicking here. Thank you in advance, it really helps!
Love the metaphor!
Probably, similar to what the cast’s mixtape is. Plus Ozzy from the 80s early 90s, 80s post punk, Rob Zombie, Primus. And LZ, Pink Floyd and The Who if they aren’t on the original tape (I have yet to see the movie).