This week we welcome singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and visual artist, Mod Sun to the Hardcore Humanism Podcast. Mod has a new solo album out called Internet Killed The Rockstar which can be preordered now and is set to release February 12, 2021.
Now as a child of the 80’s, when I heard about Mod’s album, I immediately harkened back to my youth and watching the first video ever to appear on MTV - The Buggles song “Video Killed The Radio Star.” And what was so compelling about that song was that it was signaling to the world that there was a new era of how we think about and relate to music and our rock stars. Specifically, through the use of visual imagery and story-telling, musicians were now able to think of and present themselves in a more complex, multi-dimensional way. And this was another step in the ongoing evolution of how artists related to the world.
And it was that same revolutionary spirit that drove the conversation Mod and I had, where he talked about how his own artistic path involves deconstructing and reconfiguring the definition of what it means to be a rock star. Specifically, Mod explained how the predominant definition of what it means to be a true “artist” was to push oneself – physically, emotionally – to the very edge in order to explore the outer limits of one’s creativity. As Mod points out, this lifestyle would often be done at the expense of one’s health and well-being, including drug use and working for days on end with little sleep. But Mod then went on to described expanding the concept of what it means to be a “rock star” to one where health and creativity are not at odds but are rather synergistic in building a sustainable and productive artistic career. 
Now at Hardcore Humanism, we try to apply the principles of humanistic psychology to help people find their purpose and work hard to achieve it. And one way of understanding Mod’s path is to consider it in the context of a theory of one of the founders of humanistic psychology – Albert Maslow. Maslow’s motivational theory called the “hierarchy of needs” often depicted as hierarchical levels within a pyramid. From the bottom of the hierarchy upwards, the needs are: physiological (food and clothing), safety (job security), love and belonging needs (friendship), esteem, and self-actualization. Needs lower down in the hierarchy must be satisfied before individuals can attend to needs higher up. Often, artists will bypass “safety” needs such as health and well-being in the pursuit of creativity. And consistent with Maslow’s theory, what Mod is saying is that for him, true self-actualization cannot be attained without first taking care of his safety needs through sobriety, sleep and exercise, as he simultaneously pursues his creative path. 
And just as there are many ways to be a rock star, there are many ways to be a spouse, parent, friend, family member, artist, entrepreneur, athlete or worker. Whatever your authentic path is, don’t let the expectations of others or the limits you may put on yourself dictate who you can be.

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