Rebel, Reject, Create

In this episode of Rebel, Reject, Create, David Chislett speaks with Professor Mark Deuze, Professor of Media Studies at the University of Amsterdam and author of a book exploring how creative work can be both deeply meaningful and damaging to people’s health.The conversation looks at the hidden cost of turning creativity into a career. Mark explains why people in creative industries often feel grateful to do the work while also suffering because of it. He challenges the romantic myth of the tortured creative, arguing instead that the real problem lies in the structure of the industries themselves.David and Mark discuss burnout, autonomy, unfair decision-making, fear-driven leadership, discrimination, bullying, mental health literacy, psychosocial safety and the urgent need for sustainable creative careers. This is a sharp, necessary conversation for anyone working in media, culture, journalism, music, film, games, advertising, design or the arts.Find the book here:https://intellectdiscover.com/content/books/9781835951934More about David Chislett here:https://davidchislett.com

In this episode of Rebel, Reject, Create, David Chislett speaks with creative director and designer Rakesh Kanhai about psychedelics, creativity, mental health, and the growing pressure placed on creatives in modern society.After organising an event in Amsterdam exploring the relationship between psychedelics and artistic practice, Rakesh shares his own deeply personal experiences with ayahuasca, LSD, psilocybin, and cannabis — including the dangers of dependency, the importance of integration, and why he believes these substances should never become mere productivity tools.The conversation explores spirituality, addiction, self-reflection, creativity, consumer culture, indigenous knowledge, and what it really means to grow as a human being and artist.This is not a conversation glorifying drugs.It’s a conversation about consciousness, coping, healing, and responsibility.Follow Rakesh on Instagram for more info:https://www.instagram.com/dj_kesh

In this episode of Rebel, Reject, Create, I chat with Dr. Michael Bloomfield — cognitive anthropologist, creativity researcher, and founder of the Komanu Creativity System. Michael shares how his early obsession with music, originality, and genius led him into a lifelong exploration of creativity through anthropology, psychology, and human evolution. Together, we unpack why creativity is not the same as intelligence, why the myth of genius holds so many people back, and why everyday acts of problem-solving may be more creative than we think. Michael also shares practical ways to strengthen creative thinking, from practice and movement to relaxation, and introduces his creativity card system designed to help people unlock fresh ideas and work more intentionally with their own minds.Find more on Michael:https://www.michaelbloomfield.uk/More on David:https://davidchislett.com

Christina Hammond-Aziz is the CEO of Rainmaker Solutions, a firm that helps governments and companies deliver meaningful change by enabling the people inside organisations to design and drive it themselves. In this conversation, Christina challenges the traditional “consultancy” model and dismantles common assumptions about change management — especially the belief that people naturally resist change. Instead, she argues resistance is often created by top-down change approaches that devalue employees’ expertise and contributions. Together, Christina and host David Chislett explore why transformation programmes fail even with great technology, how to reframe change around purpose and impact, and why the future belongs to organisations that build continuous learning, experimentation, and human-centred leadership into their culture.More about Rainmaker Solutions:https://rainmaker.solutions/More about David Chislett:https://davidchislett.com

Cyriel Kortleven is a keynote speaker and long-time trainer in creativity, innovation, and—more recently—change mindset. In this conversation , Cyriel explains why people resist change (fear, control, cognitive overload), how modern media amplifies that resistance, and what leaders can do instead: notice “idea killers” like yes, but…, deliberately widen perspective, and run small, safe experiments that build momentum. The episode connects change to creativity and innovation, and argues that action—not perfect plans—is the real gateway to progress.Find Cyriel online:https://www.cyrielkortleven.com/More on David Chislett:https://davidchislett.com