Since graduating from graduate school in May, I feel I have finally been released into the wild with as close to a clue as I'll ever get. (NB - I don't think anyone ever has a full clue, so to strive for that is ridiculous and to wait for the dawning of that day is foolhardy. Go full speed with what you know at the time, and then adjust accordingly when you learn otherwise.)
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My graduate degree is in a highly conservative field that follows a structured, rigid path in everything it does. In addition, I had the good fortune of going to a graduate school with a student population unlike anything I would ever voluntarily associate myself with (15 years behind in awareness, unapologetically ignorant, the like). The whole endeavor was a culture shock for me and a significant learning experience. Don't get me wrong--I was miserable and had wholesale hate for 98% of my classmates, and even now, I only half-like the 2% I consider to be my friends, but I appreciate the experience for what it taught me. To wit: that I am different from most people in that I am more creative and more thoughtful than most people.
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Now, I knew these things about myself from the bottom of my heart already, but my bland graduate schooling was just the foil to my being that I needed. Really, what it did was give me the swift kick in the butt that I needed to finally embrace myself and my true nature.
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With a clearer vision of myself, who I am, what I want, my modus operandi, etc., I have been able to define more fully the meaning of the word "creativity" for my personal dictionary.
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Creativity is more than, for example, skill at aesthetics. Is the neighborhood hairdresser with an eye for flattering hairstyles creative? I venture to say no, though I do recognize and appreciate her good eye. Full-on creativity seeps into all facets of life, resulting in a complete liberation of the mind. A free mind constrained not by the infrastructure of daily life--that is what marks the truly creative.
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I think I have a good working definition for two reasons: 1) it bespeaks of a certain independence from society, people, and one's own self, which is key, if not the key to creative thought and 2) it allows for the location of creative individuals any and everywhere--all too often, I think people operate on a narrow definition of creativity that pretty much isolates the identification of creative people to those who work in creative industries. This is a prime example of constrained thinking. A drone is a drone is a drone, even if that drone spends his days dESiGniNg tHe LoOK oF fOoD on a plate to be photographed for a menu.
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Extrapolation
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The truly creative exist in constant conflict with the rest of society. With liberated minds, these individuals are able to see more potential in every aspect of life. And with that heightened vision comes complications, e.g.,: (1) more choices, which can be paralyzing; (2) dissonance between what they see and what society sees, what they want and what society wants; and (3) a seeming inability to meet societal expectations.
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A few steps may be taken to avoid these complications. For now, I can think of three to share:
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My graduate degree is in a highly conservative field that follows a structured, rigid path in everything it does. In addition, I had the good fortune of going to a graduate school with a student population unlike anything I would ever voluntarily associate myself with (15 years behind in awareness, unapologetically ignorant, the like). The whole endeavor was a culture shock for me and a significant learning experience. Don't get me wrong--I was miserable and had wholesale hate for 98% of my classmates, and even now, I only half-like the 2% I consider to be my friends, but I appreciate the experience for what it taught me. To wit: that I am different from most people in that I am more creative and more thoughtful than most people.
--
Now, I knew these things about myself from the bottom of my heart already, but my bland graduate schooling was just the foil to my being that I needed. Really, what it did was give me the swift kick in the butt that I needed to finally embrace myself and my true nature.
--
With a clearer vision of myself, who I am, what I want, my modus operandi, etc., I have been able to define more fully the meaning of the word "creativity" for my personal dictionary.
--
Creativity is more than, for example, skill at aesthetics. Is the neighborhood hairdresser with an eye for flattering hairstyles creative? I venture to say no, though I do recognize and appreciate her good eye. Full-on creativity seeps into all facets of life, resulting in a complete liberation of the mind. A free mind constrained not by the infrastructure of daily life--that is what marks the truly creative.
--
I think I have a good working definition for two reasons: 1) it bespeaks of a certain independence from society, people, and one's own self, which is key, if not the key to creative thought and 2) it allows for the location of creative individuals any and everywhere--all too often, I think people operate on a narrow definition of creativity that pretty much isolates the identification of creative people to those who work in creative industries. This is a prime example of constrained thinking. A drone is a drone is a drone, even if that drone spends his days dESiGniNg tHe LoOK oF fOoD on a plate to be photographed for a menu.
--
Extrapolation
--
The truly creative exist in constant conflict with the rest of society. With liberated minds, these individuals are able to see more potential in every aspect of life. And with that heightened vision comes complications, e.g.,: (1) more choices, which can be paralyzing; (2) dissonance between what they see and what society sees, what they want and what society wants; and (3) a seeming inability to meet societal expectations.
--
A few steps may be taken to avoid these complications. For now, I can think of three to share:
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- active resistance. you have to resist the crushing structure of living the way that most people are living or else you will be unhappy. doing this requires ignoring most people (see below), including any friends and loved ones who do not have the same creative capacity that you do (why you're even friends with them is another post), for they will not understand, and someone, either you or they, will feel alienated. note: it will be harmful if you're the one that feels alienated.
- intentional communities. not necessarily a hippie commune, but efforts to surround yourself with other people whose ideas, though not necessarily similar to yours, also fly as high as kites will reduce the discomfort of existence in society
- try not to get caught in a wheel of society. this is a bit tangential, but still important and related to the above. endeavor to make lifestyle choices that don't carry the potential of coming back and biting you in the butt because then you might have to succumb to a fold that is disharmonious with who you are. e.g., getting a new car might bind you to working a disharmonious job so you can pay for it, having a child might force a certain stability out of you that you don't have to give (& is therefore disharmonious).
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The "cartoons drawn on the back of business cards" guy Hugh MacLeod inspired me to write this after just a cursory look at this posting of his on creativity + authenticity, which i found while googling how to start my own business: http://www.gapingvoid.com/Moveable_Type/archives/000932.html
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If a cursory look could inspire me, what could reading the whole thing do? I read it, and it has sublime insights. It's like he took my jumbled thoughts, added eloquence and profound thinking, diced, seasoned, marinated, ate, and digested them 10 years ago and now there's a green sprig that has sprouted in the fertilizer, and he's talking about how it got there. The introductory how-to list on being creative is compelling--the post, of which a pdf is also available, elaborates on it. For your convenience and pleasure, here is the list:
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1. Ignore everybody.
2. The idea doesn't have to be big. It just has to be yours.
3. Put the hours in.
4. If your biz plan depends on you suddenly being "discovered" by some big shot, your plan will probably fail.
5. You are responsible for your own experience.
6. Everyone is born creative; everyone is given a box of crayons in kindergarten.
7. Keep your day job.
8. Companies that squelch creativity can no longer compete with companies that champion creativity.
9. Everybody has their own private Mount Everest they were put on this earth to climb.
10. The more talented somebody is, the less they need the props.
11. Don't try to stand out from the crowd; avoid crowds altogether. 12. If you accept the pain, it cannot hurt you.
13. Never compare your inside with somebody else's outside.
14. Dying young is overrated.
15. The most important thing a creative person can learn professionally is where to draw the red line that separates what you are willing to do, and what you are not.
16. The world is changing.
17. Merit can be bought. Passion can't.
18. Avoid the Watercooler Gang.
19. Sing in your own voice.
20. The choice of media is irrelevant.
21. Selling out is harder than it looks.
22. Nobody cares. Do it for yourself.
23. Worrying about "Commercial vs. Artistic" is a complete waste of time.
24. Don't worry about finding inspiration. It comes eventually.
25. You have to find your own schtick.
26. Write from the heart.
27. The best way to get approval is not to need it.
28. Power is never given. Power is taken.
29. Whatever choice you make, The Devil gets his due eventually.
30. The hardest part of being creative is getting used to it.
31. Remain frugal.
32. Allow your work to age with you.
33. Being Poor Sucks.
34. Beware of turning hobbies into jobs.
35. Savor obscurity while it lasts.
36. Start blogging.
The "cartoons drawn on the back of business cards" guy Hugh MacLeod inspired me to write this after just a cursory look at this posting of his on creativity + authenticity, which i found while googling how to start my own business: http://www.gapingvoid.com/Moveable_Type/archives/000932.html
--
If a cursory look could inspire me, what could reading the whole thing do? I read it, and it has sublime insights. It's like he took my jumbled thoughts, added eloquence and profound thinking, diced, seasoned, marinated, ate, and digested them 10 years ago and now there's a green sprig that has sprouted in the fertilizer, and he's talking about how it got there. The introductory how-to list on being creative is compelling--the post, of which a pdf is also available, elaborates on it. For your convenience and pleasure, here is the list:
--
1. Ignore everybody.
2. The idea doesn't have to be big. It just has to be yours.
3. Put the hours in.
4. If your biz plan depends on you suddenly being "discovered" by some big shot, your plan will probably fail.
5. You are responsible for your own experience.
6. Everyone is born creative; everyone is given a box of crayons in kindergarten.
7. Keep your day job.
8. Companies that squelch creativity can no longer compete with companies that champion creativity.
9. Everybody has their own private Mount Everest they were put on this earth to climb.
10. The more talented somebody is, the less they need the props.
11. Don't try to stand out from the crowd; avoid crowds altogether. 12. If you accept the pain, it cannot hurt you.
13. Never compare your inside with somebody else's outside.
14. Dying young is overrated.
15. The most important thing a creative person can learn professionally is where to draw the red line that separates what you are willing to do, and what you are not.
16. The world is changing.
17. Merit can be bought. Passion can't.
18. Avoid the Watercooler Gang.
19. Sing in your own voice.
20. The choice of media is irrelevant.
21. Selling out is harder than it looks.
22. Nobody cares. Do it for yourself.
23. Worrying about "Commercial vs. Artistic" is a complete waste of time.
24. Don't worry about finding inspiration. It comes eventually.
25. You have to find your own schtick.
26. Write from the heart.
27. The best way to get approval is not to need it.
28. Power is never given. Power is taken.
29. Whatever choice you make, The Devil gets his due eventually.
30. The hardest part of being creative is getting used to it.
31. Remain frugal.
32. Allow your work to age with you.
33. Being Poor Sucks.
34. Beware of turning hobbies into jobs.
35. Savor obscurity while it lasts.
36. Start blogging.
Posts
2 comments:
Thanks for the kind words.
Hmmmm.... The older I get, the more I see "Creativity" as a "thing", an "object". I see it more as a "decision". In the same way "Happiness" is a decision, as opposed to an "object".
Not sure if that makes any sense?
Godspeed!
Hugh
Makes complete sense - you see creativity more as a life decision than an object.
It's an intriguing perspective, which definitely illuminates some of the things in your manifesto that surprised me (e.g., keeping a hobby as a hobby - isn't the holy grail commonly considered to be the turning of a hobby into a job?).
Yet, I wonder - is creativity an attainable way of life for each and everyone? I suppose the same could be asked of happiness. Is it not the case that "some people have it, and some people don't?" (I'm paraphrasing a Dirty Dancing line that was paraphrasing The Fountainhead - blueberry pancakes to anyone who can identify it!)
PS - do you really allow strangers to monitor your comings and goings on twitter?
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