Media Culture Could Use Some Shibui

What is shibui? It’s a Japanese aesthetic quality described by Wikipedia as a combination of qualities including simplicity, modesty, silence, naturalness, everydayness and imperfection. Objects that display shibui may be functional art. They often have gray mixed into their coloring. People can also show shibui qualities in their character or behavior. For example, someone who contributes to the success of a group without self-promoting is behaving in a shibui way.

In the world of social media, there is a shortage of shibui. We are surrounded by voices clamoring for attention. Some organizations advocate creating memes and telling stories to break through the noise. Many marketers use a “hard sell” approach in which they repost content often or email audiences many times. I’ve been advised by marketing professionals more than once to send similar emails to people five times to get their attention.

Branding is the hammer behind the nail of marketing. Personal brands are like armor, both asserting and disguising the identity of the professionals behind them. I’ve written about the flaws of personal branding here before – including how creating a personal brand can be challenging for people from underrepresented groups.

In this noisy and overly assertive climate, some shibui would help diffuse the pressure. Here are some thoughts on how qualities of shibui can alter the climate of heavy self-promotion that seems to be so common in social media and communications in the northeastern United States.

Simplicity is underrated in some circles. But describing things clearly, accurately and straightforwardly breaks down many communication barriers. Simplicity can help one reach audiences of different class, work and educational backgrounds. It can also help media-saturated readers relax and focus on the essential information one’s trying to communicate. In recent years, web designers have gravitated toward simple, unobtrusive layouts; writers can do the same with their copy.

Silence is a very intriguing tool for communicators. Pausing while conducting an interview can lead to unexpected revelations. Choosing what to leave unsaid is part of a journalist’s craft; these choices can make or break an article. For content curators, choosing what to omit is as important as choosing what to include. Advertisers are aware of the power of these qualities and sometimes leave their audiences guessing on purpose. Taking time to listen and watch what others are doing is important for social media managers.

Modesty, everydayness and naturalness are qualities that can win respect but are often ignored in high-visibility fields. Many people view salespeople and publicists with mistrust because they believe there is a lack of authenticity in their communication. In some cultures and fields, there is a real distrust of salesmanship. I grew up around many people who were influenced by Mexican culture. They told me modesty was valued relatively highly in their families and social circles. In environmentalist social circles, many people mistrust artificiality and self-promotion too. Eco-friendly product marketing often addresses this preference.

Imperfection is powerful. It can humanize people and organizations. Being able to admit flaws, apologize and learn from one’s mistakes can help one build real relationships. Brene Brown has written about how vulnerability and taking risks can make people more empowered. But in high-visibility professions, there can be immense pressure in the other direction – pressure to be perfect, have all the answers, and never have a bad hair day. Media can exacerbate this pressure. It’s impossible for a famous person – even a talented and well-known marketer – to look perfect to everyone. Striving for an illusion of flawlessness reduces one’s ability to connect with people on a human, healthy and real level. When personal branding is based on creating illusions of perfection, it contributes to this problem.

One of my New Year’s resolutions is to be authentic in how I use media and mass communication. This is difficult; there are many pressures in the other direction. But I believe that, in the end, respectful honesty can build credibility and relationships. High-pressure marketing and personal branding can have the opposite effect.

Shibui can empower people and organizations to communicate clearly and sincerely.

How We See Nuclear Power Plant Safety

Edited 4/25/2011: Since posting this entry, I’ve been tracking recent news on Twitter. Here are my updates on the progress of the crisis (in reverse chronological order).

Is Fukushima really as bad as Chernobyl? RT @SciAmhttp://bit.ly/ht2Kny @dbiello

MT @engineer4change: How can a community on a budget prevent damage from #tsunamis? We asked an #engineering expert.http://fb.me/J5t9kuMi

@mongrelized It’s important to talk about the personal stories from the #tsunami. An #earthquake level is just a number.

Japanese Workers Braved Radiation for a Temp Job http://pulsene.ws/1ftqt #fukushima #nuclear @mongrelized

RT @dbiello: now let’s hope pumps work MT @NEI_media: JAIF: Electric lines connected to Fukushima reactors 1 & 2, other reactors to get power Sunday

RT @sciam: one hero named: Michiko Otsuki. @gbrumfiel: Original blog post from Fukushima worker on Strait Times.http://j.mp/hFAEPF

@mongrelized I’m extraordinarily impressed by the workers who stayed at the #nuclear plant in Japan. #momentofsilence

A recent environmental psychology article from the UK says “the risks of nuclear power are almost unique in their capacity to [instill] public concern.” The Sociological Images blog shows public support for nuclear power in the United States has dropped since an earthquake and tsunami damaged a nuclear power plant in Japan this week. Although there are preexisting concerns about nuclear power, I believe it’s likely that this change is connected to the fear inspired by recent news.

These fears may be based on misconceptions about risk. The goal of this post is not to reassure people about nuclear power, but to explain the differences between our fears and what is really happening.

Radioactivity exists around us all the time, but its levels vary. It’s the level that counts. We’re often exposed to small amounts of radiation through food and sunlight, for example. Radiation exposure from human activities can come from having a MRI scan, getting X-rays or taking an airplane flight.

According to the Nuclear Science and Engineering department blog at MIT, after the tsunami and earthquake in Japan damaged a power plant’s ability to cool its fuel, radiation levels immediately outside the plant reached the level of a whole-body CT scan for two short periods of time. (The data are from The New York Times.)

Here’s a summary of health comments from the press conferences at Union of Concerned Scientists this Tuesday and Wednesday:

• The people who are at risk right now are the workers inside the plant. Other people in Japan are not experiencing a significantly higher risk of cancer – yet.
• In the worst-case scenario, if the workers are not able to keep the fuel rods cool, tens of thousands of people in Japan could have an increased lifetime risk of cancer. So far, scientists don’t know what the numbers or percentages would be. In the best case, this won’t happen.
• The scientist who responded to the question did not expect anyone living nearby would die from the short-term effects of the accident. He wasn’t sure about the workers inside the plant, though.
• It isn’t necessary for people who live far away from the plant to buy potassium iodide as a protective measure (which some people in the United States are doing). Actually, buying it can deplete the supplies that people in Japan might need.

People tend to fear short-term catastrophes more than long-term ones. A recent LiveScience article reported 42 percent of survey respondents consider nuclear power unsafe. In comparison, 51 percent of respondents to another recent survey said they worried about global warming often. (Both of these surveys are from the United States.)

If you compare the many risks posed by global warming – flooding, migration, decreased food supply and other hazards – to the risks posed by nuclear plant accidents, it’s striking how close those two percentages are. In proportion, the specter of a nuclear meltdown seems to be more frightening than global warming.

A USA Today article reported that in 2009, close to 34,000 people died in traffic accidents in the United States. Comparing this number to the results of the current power plant accident – even the worst-case scenario – shows our perceptions about risks are sometimes out of proportion to the real hazards.

None of these comments are evidence that we should support nuclear power; that question goes far beyond this post. But we see nuclear power based on the short-term, frightening and visible nature of industrial accidents, not their relative level of danger.