In a world on fire… let’s mess around maybe and be kind!?

As Plymouth Culture’s resident creative columnist, Pete Clayton has spent the past year sharing honest, heartfelt reflections on the realities of creative life — the highs, the lows, the wobbles, and the small wins that keep us going. For his last one he reflects on why kindness matters in Plymouth’s Creative Community.

I'm going to start my final article for 2025 as if it’s the opening line of "Everybody's Free (To Wear Sunscreen)" by Australian film director, Baz Luhrmann. You might not be familiar with the spoken word song if your birth year starts with a 20, but it begins with the line, “Ladies and gentlemen of the class of '99… Wear sunscreen.” 

For this article though it’s this:

Ladies and gentlemen of the class of 2025… be kind. If I could offer you only one tip for the future, kindness would be it.

The benefits and importance of kindness have been proved in my life to lift me and others up from the humdrum of daily life. Anything else outside this empathetic sphere, like rudeness, callousness and insensitivity has no place in my heart and in particular the creative industry in which I work. As creatives, we are just trying to get along in life (the same as anybody else) and fill the world up with beautiful, thought-provoking ideas and pretty pictures for people and businesses. 

I’m inspired to write this article because there have been a few occasions this year, where some good, creative friends of mine have been subjected to some nasty and uncalled-for disrespect from clients and creatives alike. As creatives, we’re not saving lives or curing disease. We believe in what we do, but life doesn’t depend on what we do. This is not a name and shame article, but whatever their attitude towards my friends, there’s no need to speak to people in a horrible way. You simply don't have to shout or have a go at someone.

I know, there is a time and place to get angry. If someone has scratched your car on purpose, for example, a perfectly reasonable reaction would be to get angry. I’m not trying to diminish human emotions. I’m just trying to inspire basic human decency. In any case, my friends are just trying to do the jobs they love and do it well.

To clients, remember we are human too and are just trying to do our best. You didn't get the results you wanted? Let’s work in unison and collaborate together to see how we can learn, improve and move forward together. We might hit a few stumbling blocks along the way, but with a cool head and kindness we can no doubt achieve a lot more. To fellow creative businesses, yes we are competitors in a lot of creative fields, but we are also friends too. Some say, “There’s no friends in business”... but I say, why not? A ‘friends first’ approach has served me well over these past 4 years as a solo entrepreneur. This approach has opened up many more doors than it has closed, with collaboration and utilising one another's skillset. Let’s lift one another up, champion fellow creative successes and just be more supportive. This city is a small community compared to the likes of London. Let’s make it a great place to be and work.

Plymouth is a village 

There’s a phrase locally that often gets battered about, and that's how ‘Plymouth is a village.’ It’s a small city and everyone knows everyone through some small degree of separation. It’s an important thing to remember. A good reputation can take a long time to build and seconds to destroy if you’re not careful. Knowing someone is not nice and not kind in the community, with their manner and approach to people, can taint who they are. If you know full well that someone is not nice, would you want to work with them? If you’ve been hard on someone unfairly, should they work with you? Something to think about there. Of course we all do have lapses in character and sincere apologies can go a long way. Just think though before you fly off the handle. Choose your words and tone wisely. There’s people on the end of those words.

A kind call to arms

This article is a call to arms. In a world on fire… let’s try to be kind and douse those flames. Leave ego a door. People are what’s important and especially in your career as a creative. Collaboration and getting on with people gives longevity to client relationships. Good relationships often lead to more work. It’s a no brainer. The cherry on top though is that it ultimately makes the world a better place. Remember… Just be kind!

Thanks for reading.

Pete :)