As a cis white man I’m sure I’ve got a veeeery unique perspective to bring to whatever team I’m a part of.
This is actually something I’m sort of self-conscious of sometimes: what do I bring to the table? What’s unique about me? Especially in the industries I want to work in, games and entertainment, there are probably enough cis white guys without me frankly. With that acknowledged, we can safely stuff that down and forget about it until my next good existential-dread-cry.
What is my perspective, what colors my approach to design? I come from a background in theater, and despite being a reserved individual most times that does color the way I interact with others and see the world. One of the great skills that comes with theater training is thinking critically about the media we consume. Why did the author write that play, at that time? For what audience? In design we are asking similar questions all the time. Who is the client, what do they need and why, what is the context, who is the demographic? So it’s useful to me to have experience thinking that way. I don’t know if it makes me unique, but maybe I’m grasping at straws here.
I grew up in a pentecostal christian house. The church taught me to be empathetic and put others before myself. Then I grew up and saw that the church at large wasn’t playing by those rules. I’m still grappling with that and what it means for what I believe. So far it’s made me curious to learn more about our world and why we’re here. I guess I carry that with me too.
I’ve worked a lot of jobs that I hated, a few that were nice. I desire mainly to work in a field where I can use my creativity and enjoy what I do. (And be able to afford living.) Is that a perspective?
I think what I’ve learned after writing this is I don’t really know. I’m carrying a lot with me and it all colors what I do. It doesn’t feel unique but I know that my own personal jumble of baggage, talents, hopes, fears, and dreams is mine whether I like it or not.
