A letter to the future

To the future:

Each generation believes they are living in the best era of human existence. We all believe that “this is the peak of human civilisation!” This sentiment is true in 2023 as it was in 1968 or 1939. I believe that we are entering a new era of the information age. Never before has information and content been as easily accessible as it is today. And never has the future been more clear and simultaneously so uncertain.

Throughout history the advancements of human capabilities have always been accompanied by incredible artistry. As man becomes more inspired and innovative, so too are the creatives of that society.

In the fast-paced digital age we live in it is believed that people only pay attention for very short periods of time. Everything we consume needs to be instant! We’re collectively obsessed with the idea of instant gratification. Everything is short lived. So too is the attention we pay to societal issues, the important and the not-so important ones. But it’s not anybody’s fault. One can only throw-up what they consume. And we also don’t care much for history.

But history as humans teaches us a lot! Many of the lessons have echoed on into present day and will continue to be prevalent well into the future. For a better future we at Pindrop Media believe one ought to understand the past.

The dance between our marvellous inventions and art has proven true era after after. The Elizabethan era saw the rise of many inventors who were both scientists and artists. Great innovations came from this moment in time. One example that sticks out is the invention of the printing press by Johannes Gutenberg. This invention played an integral role in spreading information to the masses with ease. That technological advancement paved the way for many an artist to express themselves to a wider audience, til this day.

During the civil rights movement plenty of incredible art was birthed. As the world made advancements in social sciences, Moore’s Law was also introduced and the arts were of a high standard. The world was never the same! The world got music from the Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Marvin Gaye and our very own Miriam Makeba and that continues to live on. And that list is far longer than one has time to list in this letter. Incredible literature was also written, titles such as To Kill a Mockingbird and One Flew Over The Cuckoos Nest. The 80s in South Africa gave us music by Johnny Clegg and Sipho Hot Sticks Mabuza and so much more.

History has a lot to teach! It seems to me that as the sciences continue to push bounds, the world of liberal arts follows suit. The collective mindset of society seems to be in unison and the world is a better place for it. The state of art tells the future a lot about the collective thinking of a past society and a slight indication of where that society might be headed.

The means to express ones artistic self have widened with the advancement of computers. Never has it been so easy for us to CREATE!

And that is what Pindrop Media aims to facilitate… Pure artistic expression. A platform where creatives can just be that, creators, without the other noise and distractions that comes with doing so in the modern age. A place where the creative who doesn’t want to be famous can flourish. A space where ideas can be shared. A place where true artistry can live. A place where the art of the day can truly align with technological innovations. Where moves can be made in silence and live on well into the future.

There are many positives to the fast-paced world we live in. At Pindrop Media we do not believe those positives should be applied to the world of art. Similar to the data world, more data being created leads to more transient data. A lot of content put out into the world today is transient. Such a model is beneficial for the business, but not so much the arts. To truly appreciate art one needs to take their time experiencing it. In order to produce timeless art one has to take their time making it. The calibre of some of the content created is indicative of this rushed style. And as I alluded to before, we only put out what we consume.

So to the future, I’m not here to suggest that I know what the future holds or that I have all the answers. Not at all. The future is best unknown. What I do know is that there are a plenty of truly talented people out there. People who’s art gets drowned out by the noise of the transient creators. A whole world of creators who are yearning to showcase their views on the world. Pindrop Media isn’t here to tell you how this all ends. But I do believe that Pindrop is the start…

The Start of what exactly, that’s up to you, the CREATORS, to decide. And this letter is just a heads-up to the future. An announcement that we’re coming. Pindrop Media style… Moves made in silence!

Shaun Matintela

Founder and CEO

PINDROP MEDIA