it's all too much.

The internet is depressing me. Seriously, 50 years ago I wouldn't have had this problem. I could have lived in my own little bubble, oblivious to what is out there.

Now I'm going to sound very shallow when I write exactly what it is that is bothering me, especially because it should be war, poverty, sickness etcetera. But it's not... I mean, yes, it is terrible, and new media is obviously furthering our understandings and reaches of what is happening in our own countries and beyond. But what is depressing me is talent.

Design, writing, illustration, photography, music... how the hell am I ever supposed to compete with what's out there. Even 10 years ago I could have lived happy in the knowledge that there were a few design studios in Adelaide, a couple of street presses, and even a few larger mags in wider australia. Now I am in posession of the websites and portfolios of South African interior designers, Swedish illustrators, American stylists, British writers, and sweet, well dressed bands coming out of god knows where. Not to mention the largely untapped talent on places like Flickr and Etsy. I know I should be inspired by it, but to be honest it is just snowing me under. I have always had an eye and an ear for pretty things, a way with words, for talent; but there is too much and I can't take it all in. On top of that is the fact that I have no idea how I will ever be capable of matching it, let alone surpassing it.

I need to keep my finger on the pulse if I'm ever going to make it, but I just don't know how I can.

Information superhighway, global village, all the terms and cliches. I wish it would just go away, or at least slow down. But I doubt if that will ever happen.