We Used to Have Gargoyles

"She's such a try-hard."

"They're always doing too much."

"That's not a vibe, bro."

At some point, we started treating effort like a bad thing. Trying too hard is now cringe. We praise indifference and stop celebrating passion. We got obsessed with doing the bare minimum. 

The minimum amount of work.

The minimum amount of effort. 

The minimum amount of caring.

You can look at how many brands have rebranded for the sake of "simplicity." 

Dunkin' Donuts? Too much, how about just Dunkin'

HBO? Let's go with just Max.

Cursive fonts? Too extra, let's just do print (Goodbye cursive Rolling Stone, Burberry, and Mailchimp logos).

Even outside of the marketing world, things seem to have become less interesting and smaller.

We used to have epic theme songs, cue The Flintstones, Cheers, Andy Griffith, and The Beverly Hillbillies.

Houses used to have built-in bookshelves, wainscoting, and grand fireplaces. 

Bands like Kiss, David Bowie, the Village People, and Alice Cooper used to put on their makeup every night, dress in spandex and elaborate costumes, and play to millions. 

Skyscrapers used to have gargoyles!

But now we are more interested in less.

And maybe it's about efficiency. About making things cleaner, faster, and easier. Maybe it is because people don't read cursive anymore. Or maybe brands want a universal appeal. Or everyone skips the intro anyway. Or when you add a gargoyle to the building, the resale value doesn't go up.

Or maybe it comes down to the fact that somewhere along the way, we decided that effort wasn't cool and that being nonchalant was the best path forward.

But why?

Why did we decide that effort was too much?

Why did we decide that doing just enough is enough?

Why did we decide that passion was lame?

At some point, it happened, but it doesn't have to be that way.

Because maybe, just maybe, there is a small resurgence of doing extra.

Last summer, Barbie and Oppenheimer were two movies that were both so extra and over-the-top. They built an alternate world and welcomed you into it. And guess what? They were rewarded with actual awards and billions at the box office.

Kendrick Lamar's Super Bowl Halftime Show, every aspect was layered with meaning, and it was so extra, but it has also been viewed 133 million times on YouTube.

Chappel Roan released Pink Pony Club as a single in 2020, and she kept grinding, and then she became the try-hard, pop icon Chappel Roan we see today, and she is now adored by her fans, and Pink Pony Club is a massive hit.

Working hard and being extra is dangerous. And being dangerous is risky. Some people won't like you because you are extra. And just because you try really hard doesn't mean you are going to succeed. And maybe that is what scares us--that you can work and work and work, that you can pour your heart into something, and you can still come up short. 

So, it is easier to play it safe. To try just enough to get by. To blend in. To protect the resale value by not adding the gargoyle.

But what fun is that?

The world might say that it rewards safe, simple, and predictable, but I say, "Who cares?"

I say, Go for it!

Stop being afraid to stand out.

Don't play small. Take up space.

Try hard. 

Have the courage to be bad before you are good. 

Admit that you care and be fine with caring more than any reasonable person would.

Be extra. Because extra is where the magic is.