How to Think in Black and White
Feeling a bit bogged down by the dreary world of colour? Overcome by too many shades of grey? We thought so. We were too, until we decided to find a new way of thinking.
We kept finding ourselves unsatisfied by just accepting whatever we were told, doing the things we were supposed to and letting the television tell us how to spend our free time. One day we decided to start doing things a little differently – to start being ourselves again – and we’ve never looked back.
We think it’s really important for everyone to take back their individuality, remember what it’s like to be creative and start taking a little more responsibility. To help explain the way we do things, we’ve made a list of the seven things we’re most passionate about:
Originality – Ever seen anything like NeB before? Of course not. Trying new things is really, really important – how do you think people found out that you could get milk from cows, or invented important stuff like Blu Tac? By daring to think in new ways. Take a different route to work, buy something unusual for lunch or start a conversation on the train... try something new today, it might change your life.
Creativity – Ever sang in the shower or doodled whilst talking on the phone? We thought so. We’re all extremely creative, but not everyone realises that. You don’t need a special badge to draw a smiley face or a certificate from drama school to tell a joke, do you? Exactly. So get creating – start singing, drawing, making, writing, painting, sculpting, anything, it’s fun!
Mystery – Our black and white world is quite a curious place, there’s a dash of the Unknown thrown in to our special mix. Even we’re not quite sure of how the Noir Et Blanc universe works, but we rather like it that way. We can’t give you advise on how to be more mysterious, that just wouldn’t work, so this one’s up to you. Find new ways to keep your friends and colleagues on their toes; variety is the black-and-white spice of life.
Reality – We like to keep things real (we’re very ‘street’ you see). Seriously though folks, you can’t try to make the world a little nicer if you only see the bits you want to see. It takes a lot of courage to take your head out of the sand, but next time you’re going through that run-down looking part of town, have a really good look at what you see. You might think of something you could do to help your community. Or you might just appreciate what you have a little more.
Individuality – Sometimes we wear odd socks on purpose – that’s just the way we are. Your individuality is the most attractive thing about you (and yes, we do say that to all the individuals). We’ve got billions of friends, but we don’t always do the same as them. It’s important to do your own thing now and again – so next time you want to see a show or an exhibition or a band and can’t find anyone to go with, just go and enjoy yourself regardless!
Responsibility – We might be sexy rebels, but we’ve definitely got a cause (or two). While we like nothing more than going to gigs and interviewing cool people and having a great time, we’re also passionate about making changes for the better. We want to encourage people to think a little more carefully about their actions, so we’ll start with you. Next time you’re shopping, don’t let those enticing special offers trick you into buying things you don’t need. If you see a piece of litter, pick it up. And next time you’re thinking about making a bonfire out of carrier bags or tyres, just don’t.
Inclusivity – If we have a party, everyone’s invited. We can’t stand anyone being left out for any reason at all (even if they don’t wash), that’s why we’re constantly making new and exciting friends. If we didn’t have this attitude, Noir Et Blanc would never have happened - we owe an awful, awful lot to the friends we’ve made along the way. So give it a try for yourself, even if you just start by giving that stranger you see every day a friendly smile.
