This chapter is the first of two that advises creatives to turn inward and assess how their own behavior affects and is affected by creative processes and community. As such, it represents a shift toward a reflective approach, which serves to conclude the book’s progression of step-by-step concepts, following the established pattern common in self-help and advice literature.

Kleon alludes to something called the “golden rule,” addressing Creativity in the Digital Age when he says that in “our hyperconnected world,” this rule “is even more golden” (101). Drawing on a tenet of moral philosophy that asks that people treat others as they would like to be treated, here Kleon moves into the field of ethics in the community, addressing how best to engage with others online to foster positivity and limit negativity.