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I'm your host, Elise Hugh. Is exploring your creative side a courageous act? In this archive talk from

2020, actor, writer, and director Ethan Hawke reflects

on the moments that have shaped his life and examines why he's come to believe that unabashed

creativity, regardless of your profession, is essential to living a life of connection, growth,

and self-knowledge. I was hoping today to talk a little bit about creativity.

You know, a lot of people really struggle to give themselves permission to be creative.

And reasonably so, I mean, we're all a little suspect of our own talent. And I remember a

story I came across in my early 20s that kind of meant a lot to me. I was really into Alan

Ginsburg and I was reading his poetry and I was reading, he did a lot of interviews. And one time,

William F. Buckley had this television program called Firing Line, and Ginsburg went on there and sang a Harry Krishna song while playing the harmonium.

And he got back to New York to all his intelligentsia friends, and they all told him, does you know that everybody thinks you're an idiot?

I mean, the whole country is making fun of you.

And he said, that's my job.

You know, I'm a poet, and I'm going to play the fool. Most people have to go to work all day long,

and they come home and they fight with their spouse, and they eat, and they, like, turn on the old

boob tube, and somebody tries to sell them something. And I just screwed all that up.

I went on and I sang about Krishna.

And now they're sitting in bed and going,

who's this stupid poet?

And they can't fall asleep, right?

And that's his job as a poet.

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