The Crave
Weekly tips and stories that will help you do your job and make you smile (or groan).
By Sean Filidis March 24, 2022
Content marketing at a time like this? 🇺🇦
The world has changed significantly since I last wrote for The Crave. War is raging. Thousands are dead, and millions are displaced. For me, this nightmare feels deeply personal. My wife is Ukrainian. I have many friends and extended family there. Some are now refugees. Some have enlisted and are fighting back. How does one carry on during a time like this? As a content marketer, is it even appropriate to continue with business as usual — writing ads and newsletters, promoting software on LinkedIn? The truth is war — and widespread human suffering in general — is, and has always been, a constant reality for countless people. From armed conflicts in Myanmar, Yemen, and Sudan to the general misery experienced by millions living in poverty all over the world. While some of us are fortunate enough to worry about click-through rates, others worry about access to clean water for their kids. Life is viciously unfair. And yet, no matter where we live or what we do, we all have difficulties and challenges to face — even if they're wildly different in scope, type, and consequence. Each of us must deal with today's worries. To brutishly paraphrase Gandalf, we don't get to choose our challenges. We've all just got to deal with whatever unique sh*t life throws our way. For many lucky enough to remain unaffected by war, confronting life's challenges may simply mean continuing with the daily grind — hopefully with a revitalized sense of gratitude and compassion. Life must continue. Babies are still being born. People are still getting married. Deals are still closing. The earth never stopped spinning for anyone — not for you, not for me, not for Ukraine.
And as we work our day jobs, let's be mindful of everything and everyone around us, expecting nothing and appreciating everything.
So, to answer the question, I started with: Yes, it is appropriate to carry on with business as usual — I would even say it's crucial. It's a form of resistance. Like the heroes of Mariupol ignoring mortar fire, we must carry on with life despite what's on the news. Not to do so would be to let the bad guys win. But that doesn't mean that, on a personal level, we can or should remain the same. The shock of seeing how suddenly the world can be turned on its head makes us realize that many of our problems are not so big after all. Watching the bravery of ordinary people defending their homes can give us a new frame of reference for what's important. And, if we allow it, this new frame of reference will make us better people, personally and professionally. It can make our writing more human and the connections we foster more meaningful. So, as we watch suffering from the relative comfort of our homes, let's remember to be present. Let's practice empathy. As others fight for survival, let us try to take fewer things for granted. And as we work our day jobs, let's be mindful of everything and everyone around us, expecting nothing and appreciating everything. Do this, and your co-workers will notice. Your audiences will notice too.
I recently came upon a unique wall calendar. Rather than showing years and months, it shows the number of weeks in an average human life. At the end of each week, you cross off one of the 4 thousand little squares and watch your remaining time slowly ebb. People describe it as "terrifying and effective." I've decided to get one.
Let’s talk about it together!
Share your thoughts on LinkedIn using #thecravediscussion This week’s topic: Simply: How are you doing?
Currently craving
Here's what I'm into right now.
- Reading: The news. Mostly The New York Times and The Atlantic.
- Listening: Again, the news.
- Working on: Spending more time with my family.
Sean Filidis
Senior Copywriter
About the author
Writer, tech junkie, marketer, musician, traveler, photographer. At Foleon, I’m generally in charge of words and enforcing strict company-wide comma quotas.
