JFDI is an acronym that’s been floating around lately. It stands for “Just Fucking Do It” and is, I think, a reaction to all the talking that’s been going on over the last year and a call to action. I like this attitude. It’s something I’d been doing for years, I think, and most of my successful online adventures (and the unsuccessful ones, of course) came from this.
JFDI is the opposite of “someone should…” or “why isn’t there…” The problem is that most people don’t feel able to do the things they’d like to see done on their own.
Social media stuff, by networking people in new and more complex ways, can theoretically solve this problem. I might not be able to do a thing but by putting part of the solution out there, be it a framework of ideas or the bit I can build, and letting others know about it the thing can be done.
The stumbling block mental. People don’t realise they can JFDI probably because culture has promoted the idea of needing an expert to do all things. It’s why There I Fixed It is seen as a weird, funny thing rather than the norm, which is should be, I think. I also blame consumer culture – don’t fix it, buy a new one. But then I would, wouldn’t I.
Anyway…
I think this is relevant to audience participation, or whatever you want to call it, by arts orgs. You can give people the tools and ideas and freedom and so on but if they haven’t got that motivation then they’re going to look to you for direction. And that sort of defeats the object. Maybe.
So, how do you get people to JFDI? Force a vacuum? Piss them off?