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Changing Things Up
In Uncategorized on January 27, 2012 at 1:33 pmA Battle Against the Forces of Destruction or Why The Swiffer Won’t Do For Me
In Defining Creativity, General Theory of Creativity on December 2, 2011 at 12:08 pmMy top 3 favorite books about Creativity:
- Mihalyi Csikzentmihalyi’s Creativity
- Arthur Koestler’s The Act of Creation
- Twyla Tharp’s The Creative Habit.
I recently discovered Jonah Lehrer (my favorite pop-science writer) is writing a book about this pet topic of mine. I’m very excited about this– Imagine: How Creativity Works hits bookstores next Spring. I mentioned the good news to a friend.
My friend said, “Oh, yeah. I attended a talk of his (about Creativity) a few months ago in L.A. He told the story of how a guy came up with this thing called The Swiffer . This guy came up with the idea by…”
“The Swiffer?” I asked.
“Yeah,” my friend said, “it’s this mop thing that…“
I said, “I know what The Swiffer is. I just can’t believe Jonah Lehrer linked The Swiffer to Creativity.”
Coming up with The Swiffer may have something to do with innovation– making something better or more effective. It may also provide a slightly interesting example of how some person’s brain worked to produce the insight/idea that made this little gizmo a bestseller among housewives. But, The Swiffer is not a direct product of Creativity. Nope. No way.
I don’t know if Lehrer will include the Swiffer story in his book. At least I hope he does not. Creativity, innovation, discovery, insight and success are all hot concepts in popular literature right now. But they are not interchangeable. Why? Because discovery, innovation, insight and success are parts of a process not the whole process. Creativity is the whole process. And as a whole process it generates Life– of systems and ideas.
Creativity is about battle (stay with me). It is energy exchanged between Life and Destruction in which Life (of an idea, innovation, discovery, insight) takes the upper hand and wins. Creativity is dynamic and fragile because it keeps up the fight to live on. An idea or system in the throes of reproduction, adaptation and forging ahead through Time is Creative.
Sounds a bit Darwinian doesn’t it? Convoluted? Well, I’m working on it.
Thanks for reading.
I would love to hear from you in the comments section!
What is Creativity Anyway?
In creativity, Defining Creativity, General Theory of Creativity, Idea Sharing, Ideas on July 21, 2011 at 11:00 am
I started this blog using Creativity as explained by Creativity scholar Mihalyi Csikszentmihaly as my working definition. Csikszentmihalyi says,
Creativity is any act, idea, or product that changes an existing domain, or that transforms an existing domain into a new one.
And,
The definition of a creative person is: someone whose thoughts or actions change a domain, or establish a new domain…a domain cannot be changed without explicit or implicit consent of a field responsible for it.
Now in the spirit of revision I question Csikszentmihalyi’s definition. Does it encapsulate all I’ve learned about Creativity during this past year?
How about you? What is your definition of Creativity? Check out the four definitions below and see if any fit your worldview.
Any act, idea, or product that changes an existing domain, or that transforms an existing domain into a new one with explicit or implicit consent of the field responsible for it. (Used by M. Csikszentmihalyi)
Makings things from scratch. (Used by Twyla Tharp– choreographer)
Building on and with the works of others. (If I have seen further, it is only because I stand on the shoulders of giants.– Isaac Newton).
Self-expression with no editing. (Expressing with precision all the gold sparks the soul gives off. –Joan Miro, painter)
None of the above definitions ring true for you? Then write a new definition in the comments section below. I look forward to hearing from you.
Thank you!
