Creativity - Nature or Nurture?
Is creativity a gift an art? Is it an inherited talent that you have-or don't have? Or is it a skillful way of thinking that can be artfully learned by any person?
Dr. Edwin H. Land, inventor of the Polaroid camera, has experimented with this phenomenon of creativity. He reports among those trillions of cells in your brain, there lie thousands of brilliant but slumbering cells that are charged with vast powers waiting to be aroused, harnessed, and unleashed.
If you can discover a way to stimulate them, you'll be amazed at your own brilliance and intelligence. Hey!! Let's put those brilliant brain cells to good use!! Send me something creative to post on the Fan Contribution page!
posted by Christopher Showerman @ 7/08/2005 09:47:00 PM
10 Comments:
At 9:57 PM, July 11, 2005 ,
Anonymous said...
Interesting question - I've always thought that creativity was something that you either had or you didn't have. But, I also think that creativity can express itself in many ways. For example, one person can be creative in visual arts, another in performing arts, and another person in science or math. We tend to think of creativity as only artistic expression but I think there is more to it than that.
As with all talents, I think that any form of creativity can be improved with practice - but am not sure if a person can improve something that isn't there to start with. I'll have to think a little more on this one before I make up my mind.
What do other people think?
At 2:34 PM, July 13, 2005 ,
Anonymous said...
Hi Chris,
I believe creativity is an art. We definitely all have it in us to be creative thinkers but I think we lose a little bit of that spontaneous creativity when we grow up because we become distracted with responsibility. Most of us probably spend our days racing against the clock. We just need to learn to reprogram ourselves to open the doors of our imagination and let the endless possibilities flow. However skillfully perfecting a specific craft takes passion and drive. That might be a little more challenging for those who weren't born with it.
Love Always,
Your Puzzle Piece
At 6:35 AM, July 14, 2005 ,
Christopher Showerman said...
Dave, I totally agree that you can have creative tendencies in any direction - for instance, my driving habits tend to be creative.
Ahhh, Nisha. Thank you for your insight. Time and Responsibility might squelch the passion and drive of a creative person - absoulutely. I think that knowing that is half the battle! Then if you can set aside a regular time to focus on your passion, whatever that may be, and guard that time like a warrior, you are on the road to rekindeling that creative spark. A great book about nurturing your inner artist is THE ARTIST'S WAY - by Julia Cameron.
At 4:46 PM, July 14, 2005 ,
Anonymous said...
"Creative driving," ha! Based on my few attempts at driving in Los Angeles, I bet you get a lot of opportunities to be creative with your driving - and a lot of practice to think about creativity while sitting in traffic during "rush" hour.
On the topic of this thread though, your comments on setting aside time, Chris, certainly hit home with me. I often think that I could do some creative thing with my life, writing for example, if only I had more time. But, the reality is that we all are given the same amount of time in a day - but it's how we choose to divide it that makes the difference. Creativity is like anything else, if you don't feed it - it dies. I agree with you Nisha, we lose spontanity as we grow up. If we all set aside a little bit of time a day as Chris suggests I wonder how much happier and more creative we could all be?
I'll be checking out Julia Cameron's book myself - thanks for the tip.
Dave
At 11:49 PM, July 14, 2005 ,
Christopher Showerman said...
Hey Dave!
Sometimes it helps to be held to a deadline. I find myself with a massive amount of drive when I'm facing a deadline. Wanna make a deal? What do you say to posting a NEW writing sample on the contribution page by the end of this month? or at least by the end of summer.
Deal?
ATP!
C
At 7:40 AM, July 15, 2005 ,
Christopher Showerman said...
Beautiful, Matt! Couldn't have said it better myself. And I know you know!
At 10:35 AM, July 15, 2005 ,
Anonymous said...
Chris,
Okay, I guess I walked into that one and you have a deal. I'll contribute something by the end of August (assuming of course that I keep the copyright on my brilliant soon to be masterpiece- LOL)!
Dave
At 5:11 PM, July 15, 2005 ,
Anonymous said...
LOL Dave,Chris got you good.You had to have seen that coming though hahaha. Cant wait to see your work. You'll do great i'm sure.
At 2:21 AM, July 16, 2005 ,
Anonymous said...
Not much on here that hasn't been said already. I'm amazed at the different ways people look at 'creativity', but always seem to end up with some sort of 'artistic' way of thinking about it. I believe creativity comes in many forms. It's not just the poet, the author, the sketch artist or the performer (!!). It's also the office clerc who decides to drive a different route to work one day for a change.
I am happy to say I'm one of the fortunate people who are blessed with a fair amount of creativity. It runs in my veins, so to speak, and I don't know what my life would be without it. (Well, I do know actually..learned the hard way once..not something I like to think back of again..)Creativity is a way to get to know yourself in all its many forms, usually surprising yourself with its diversity. It can be stimulated and practised, but it can also be neglected and ignored. Up to a certain point we all have a saying in our own creativity. I am now somewhere where I no longer have a choise. Without my creativity I wouldn't be what I am and where I am today. And I wouldn't want it any other way.
Be Inspired!
(And yes, Chris, you will get your piece of fanart from me some time. ;) )
At 5:56 AM, July 16, 2005 ,
Christopher Showerman said...
I'm so excited!! I can't wait to see your writing Dave and your art Jaschenka! BTW, great point! There are an unlimited number of creative outlets - not just "artistic" ones. We all express creativity differently.
All Things Possible!
Chris
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