A Sea of Information; A Global Battle
Wealth, Fame, Power! In the 21st Century, all that and more have been ever so promised as the general prize and incentive for the modern day creative entrepreneur. In a world with a sea full of information, both good and bad, healthy and toxic, true and false, only one thing is certain- there is a certain level of power that comes from the media in which we consume, with a good portion of it being controlled by the world powers and their constituents.
The world we live in parallels the world of One Piece in more ways than you can imagine! For those who don’t already know, I am a huge fan of the show One Piece, by none other than Eiichiro Oda.The world of Marines and Pirates definitely reminds me of what it feels like to be a creative entrepreneur. The larger you grow, the more impact you have on the world and the higher the stakes get. This leaves the future Sea of a Planet that we live on being a place of fantasy or mystery that only the truly courageous even dare to explore.
But I know a better world exists…
Devil Fruits and the Power of Spirit and Creation
Although One Piece definitely showcases themes that mirror our world in a political or social sense, I want to highlight the spiritual themes of the show that I feel are very real to Creative Entrepreneurs. Art is notoriously powerful in turning the tides of the world, although there is still an ominous fear of societal disapproval when someone decides to add creative elements to their main service to society. It is similar to how devil fruits take away the user’s ability to swim, many people believe that something as expressive and free as Art has no chance of surviving in a Sea of Information and numbers, yet we hear about many talented people who prove otherwise everyday.
Art is our ability to shape a time period. There is so much power within that, but it comes at such a high cost of your own personal time that many people fall into utilizing their artistic energy in a way that is either out of alignment with their preferred Path in life, or their preferred Service to their community. I believe that the most influential creative entrepreneurs find a way to creatively fulfill their own life path while providing a major societal service.
Powerful Crews
As talented as any individual is, no entrepreneur, creative or not, would make it far without crews of people working to support them. Whether their crew mates are using art to help boost a presidential campaign, or they have a fantastic PR & Marketing team to help them strengthen their overall brand awareness, these different entities all have teams of creatives and non-creatives working together to achieve a shared vision. The brand, face or flag of their crew is what the people involved agree to support in the belief that their captain will lead them to better waters. Those who can’t work together, fail together.
With a strong crew comes a strong captain. In this world, in order to take control of your narrative and really create a space for yourself and the people around you, you really need a strong sense of character. There is a reason Luffy (or many other shonen characters) have a deep desire for their goals with an even deeper passion for those who build community with them. These different points that build their character allow them to not lose themselves when the moment gets tough. They are able to recenter and focus all they’re energy into their goals, which allow them to truly go down as memorable figures in their world. Definitely easier said than done.
The Importance of a Strong Character
Regardless of the way in which you utilize Art (or if you don’t at all) there is a level of rigid commitment you need to have with yourself and that is needed to truly be a driving force in this world. In One Piece, this concept is explored as “Haki” which translates loosely to “ambition” or “willpower”. Haki comes in 3 general forms, which do apply in real life.
Armament Haki as Determination- Determination, (i.e. Armament Haki) is crucial in a person’s ability to chase their dreams in the world of social media and opinions. Armament Haki in this world allows people to make bold and forceful decisions or statements, with the ability to endure whatever feedback possible with great fortitude. This skill takes a lot of training and toughness. I’ve strengthened my own sense of Armament Haki by honestly working in some extreme situations to get a project done. I’m talking about staying awake for 72 Hours straight to get a project out on a personal deadline, leading cinematic skits in 19 degree weather, carrying a 300~400lb box down a 15 minute path down a lenape trail with just two other people (anything for the shot!), this level of determination allows me to get through the toughest of situations and create amazing work where many would stop!
Observation Haki as Foresight and Self-Awareness- Observation Haki allows users to essentially see ahead of time, making movements before danger can arise. In order to get there, a person really needs to be able to have a strong understanding of where they are and the ability to remain level headed in an intense situation. Making a big decision like withdrawing from Howard University was not an easy decision, and you could imagine the uncertainty that crept up with it. But it was my own connection to self and my higher purpose that when focused in, provided me with a level of clarity and awareness that allowed me to make certain plans, movements or decisions that benefited me tremendously in the long run. To the naked eye, it may seem like simply good luck. But just like in the world of One Piece, Haki is only visible to those who can see it for themselves.
Conquerors Haki as Aura- Conqueror’s Haki allows the user to utterly stun, disengage and or command large crowds of people with simply your aura and presence.This is simply a level of presence or determination that is so powerful it can be felt by and move large masses of people. I believe that I have experienced this a few times in my life, but not necessarily in artistic settings but rather in large group spaces where I have had to use the skills of being a visionary in a more practical sense. Many times, I have experienced this sensation when I am speaking a truth that is heavily based in Earth and Air (see Vague Terms). People with a strong sense of Conquerors Haki seem to hold truth and reality so deeply to their being, that their past and current actions continue to do nothing more than prove the truth of their power. Although the times I can describe this experience would be like shifting the tone and group focus while leading a set of people, or my 8th grade class election (Although my speech had everyone in awe and applause, I still lost but everyone knows those are just a popularity contest), greater examples of this power are seen with people like Kendrick Lamar or Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. who have utilized their powerful voices to not only amplify the truth, but mobilize large amounts of people from all different creeds. As I continue to take my own disciplines more seriously, I plan to strengthen the Aura that I already do have in efforts to bring forth the mission and aims of my crew.
This is our Crew, This is the Brand
As a production crew, we really have the perfect recipe- A Visionary, a Sonic Mastermind and a World-Building set designer. So what is our goal? What is our One Piece of the world that we wish to claim? The Space of SoundWater.
For the One Piece fans, the opening of this website to us is like entering the Grand Line, with the pillars of SoundWater serving as our Log Pose. As artists, we navigate through the world with our SoundWater Initiative. By making sure that we only produce spaces and art that promotes a certain culture, we are actively able to navigate these seas while making sure we have a focused brand, goal and market that serve a community built centered around the SoundWater Pillars. By living in the service of production and media, we aim to explore the worlds of the Diaspora, creating art and media that promotes stories of positivity, victory and joy. We want to get ourselves into spaces that allow us to create and utilize our abilities to shape the world and create space for our communities, but we simply need to reach broader audiences beyond the small Essex County Area. After doing many community initiatives as a team, we are now looking to expand our reach, embarking on larger endeavors. But with a solid sense of Determination, Self-Awareness and Aura, our artist-centered production crew is surely ready to take on any challenges going forward.
We have nothing but excitement to begin this new chapter in our path as a Production Crew! With faith and passion, we are excited for us to amplify the voices of our community abroad with our service to the world. As we embark on our journey, documentation of our voyages is important! We will continue to keep our community updated with blog posts, emails and social media to give more insights on our artistic endeavors and campaigns (it gets treacherous!) so be sure to stay up to date for all kinds of good information! Are you on board? Or do you feel like you have your own Crew and Mission yourself? Let us know down below in the comment section!
Till next time,
OpotheBoat
1 Comment
oposcanon
Nice