A few years ago, I wrote a silly, speculative science fiction story about a teenager getting stuck in Snake 2. Now we live in a world where it's dated because someone in Silicon Valley has put a fruit fly's brain on a chip and it's doing fly things in the insect matrix.
Let's sit with that and consider what it means for our mental health and creativity.
Supported by https://illustrationx.com - the show's founding sponsor
To coach with Ben, https://thecreativecondition.com/coach
To support the Ukrainian creative community https://ui.org.ua
Guardian article in this episode:
 https://www.theguardian.com/games/2026/mar/16/petri-dish-brain-cells-playing-doom-cortical-labs
My short story: https://www.bentallonwriter.com/shortstories/snake2-b7mew

Ep 291: Evolving a Creative Industry Career with Dirty Freud

Welcome to 'The Creative Condition' podcast: an ongoing exploration of human creativity to help you navigate an increasingly automated world with your story and soul. The show is hosted by creativity coach, Founder of The Creative Condition, author and illustrator Ben Tallon. Creativity is an often misunderstood pillar of human happiness, something far bigger than artistic talent and crucial for fulfilling lives and careers. But in a data and efficiency-obsessed world, self-awareness, story and soul are more important than ever.
Featuring exclusive interviews with experts and thought leaders, including illustrators, designers, artists, founders, rock stars, sensitivity experts, musicians, emergency service workers, Olympic gold medal winners, comedians, microbiologists, photographers, fighters, and many others. Supported by founding sponsor Illustration X, Paradiso Institute the Ukrainian Institute.
For more creativity resources or coaching opportunities with Ben, head to The Creative Condition official website.
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