Re: Creativity


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Posted by A. C. Gmork Labyrinthian Kadran X. H. (207.211.243.12) on August 05, 2003 at 01:30:15:

In Reply to: Creativity posted by Cliff Minks on June 27, 2003 at 08:35:42:

: "Hello world"

: Hello every one, I would just like to ask a few questions to all of you . as I browse over the topics here from Great van for sale articles about cafe nodes I wonder. and often I wander I am still studying in college in a private art and design school and I have seen many people whom have talent in many respects. Some can draw like no others some can feel emotions that to most do not seem apearent to many.

: But, My question's
: 1. Where does eliteism step in in an organization that is for creative persons and dictate what Creativity is and is not?

Hello, Cliff. For those of you who do not know Cliff is my associate, friend, and brother. He and I run two SEPERATE organizations dedicated to the creative individual. They were a whole organization once, but alas, they had to fall prey to what, I will now borrow from Cliff's post, elitism.

Cliff, my good friend, if you would remember from the very beginning I 'preached', dare I use the word, that creativity was something that was not determined by some elite group, some type of Star Chamber if you will, whose classifications were handed down through the hierarchy through various means in the mass media. You never really did believe me did you? Creativity is a life force so to speak, to exist is to create when it comes right down to it. When you breath you create breath, and when you think you create thoughts. When an artist as they are called by our world today puts pen to paper, brush to canvas, pointer to screen, it is a brilliant process that culminates in a learning experience for the individual. One in which hopefully they can grow and move and become more than what they were before. Describing creativity is a very personal and creative thing all on its own. Creativity has no room for elitism. A truly creative individual does not filter himself nor his thoughts because another tells him to.

In fact, I will post an article I once wrote about creativity in Peristaltic Monthly (a now defunct publication of the now evolved organization TCO:

"The Creative Individual Today
By A. C. Gmork Labyrinthian Kadran X. H.

Now that the unofficial millennium has occurred and is "old news", while the official millennium is actually upon us, I take time to reflect how creativity in general has developed. As many of you may already know I am one of the cofounders of The Clasheerian Order, an internet based organization devoted to creativity. So this subject has held my fascination for some time now. Where does creativity fit within our current culture? What is creativity? Who is or isn't creative? Where does creativity come from? Because these questions are fundamental to the foundation of creative thought their answers are inextricably important.

First, I shall attempt to try to define what is creativity. If not for the scope of this article but as a perhaps a foundation of definition from which we can build upon. Keep in mind that just because I define something doesn't mean any variations to it don't exist, they just aren't defined yet. I shall first access that great volume of words the dictionary for a starting point. The American Century Dictionary lists "cre-a'tive adj. 1 inventive; imaginative 2 able to create (creativeness, creativity n.)" That leads me to look up the word creation, which is listed as meaning "...n. 1 creating or being created ... 2b all created things; the universe 3 product of the imagination, art, fashion, etc." which finally leads me to look up create which is listed as meaning "... 1 bring into existence; cause 2 originate ...".

Okay, so the act of creation is the bringing into existence of something, according to the dictionary, and apparently it doesn't matter if it has been created before or not. If that is held literally true then existing in general is a very creative act.

So far we have the grand act of existence equal to the act of creation. In effect, the execution of our actions which are individual to us is also an act of creation, for you are bringing the action into existence.

So how does this definition of creation and creativity fit into our current culture of ideas? In our current American culture there seems to be a defined class of people deemed more artistic than others. They do not necessarily do anything different than others other than take enjoyment in the act of creating. In contrast, some more ancient cultures have no word for 'artist', they just create things.

So now it seems we must build upon what we've established as creativity for it seems that there are degrees of creativity as have been defined. First there is the creativity of living of which we have been talking about, but there seems to be a higher degree of creativity: the deliberate action of creation. Then it seems that within that degree there are categories almost of what is considered 'art' when created.

It has always been the The Clasheerian Order's stance that this deliberate act of creation constitutes all of what is creative whatever is the product. This does not mean that all products are equal, there are ones more distasteful than others, ones more corny than others, and ones more superior than others, but they are all an act of creation. As a side note, to be fair to The Clasheerian Order, it does not support creativity that harms others or actions akin to that.

Anyway, these days it seems, especially around The Clasheerian Order headquarters, that creativity is underrated. The power of the imagination is so immense it's hard to comprehend but more and more I see people setting down their imagination for something else, whatever that may be. People do not believe themselves to be "artistic" so they believe they cannot "create" in the loaded sense of the word that society has come to understand. When in fact, if they are good at solving problems they are indeed creative, for they can see and create the solutions to what befalls them.

On the same not, creativity is also everywhere and in everything. The dramas and things people do everyday are creative in the sense that we've come to understand. There are two sides of the coin on creativity: the creator and the viewer. If someone makes a book let's say, than it can hold all the truths in the world and in that way be beautiful, but if no one reads it... Let's just say you do not have to be constantly creative.

I feel somewhat at a loss of words for really is creative. I feel that more and more there is less creativity in the average person, but it makes me wonder if perhaps it's always been that way, and that's why we seem to have the special breed of "artist" today. So,if you have any ideas on creativity, want to build on my foundation, etc. please submit an article (See Article Submission). In the meantime I'll keep pondering and get back to you...

"The Creative Individual Today Part 2
By A. C. Gmork Labyrinthian Kadran X. H.

I will address an article submitted last issue about creativity in response to my article. When we talk of creativity we are essentially talking about the result of the exercise of imagination. I have come to the logical conclusion that in the terms that my article was discussing, people do rely on creativity when they rely on faith and hope etc. When life gets tough people imagine things to be better, they imagine a time in the future when things will be better and hope that it will come true, etc. If an individual was devoid of creativity and thus the power of imagination, then they could only experience and understand what was happening to them at that possible moment. They would have no hope for they would not be able to imagine anything better. Addressing the concern for ‘measurements’ of creativity and other like traits I am led to say that it is possible to make measurements of sociological traits, but what they mean is something entirely different. You can measure these traits, society does it all the time, they have tests to determine how spatially oriented you are, how musically talented you might be, how creative and resourceful your mind is under pressure.

So the act of measuring can be done, but that doesn’t mean that the results of these tests mean exactly what they say. Any test of intelligence does not take into account the history, attitude, nor any special characteristics of the individual taking the test. I believe everybody has the power of imagination. As stated above, if they didn’t they couldn’t do many various things. Some individuals have a more ‘resourceful’ imagination, others have a more ‘narrative’ imagination, while others have a very ‘mechanical’ imagination. Some individuals imaginations may seem more ‘powerful’ than others, but that doesn’t make them any better than others. That is simply one of the special characteristics of that individual.

Our society celebrates creativity in many various ways: through movies, books, music, and the now rising technological medium of multimedia. There is also role-playing, storytelling, dramas... the list goes on. When an individual can appreciate these things, they are also exercising their power of imagination. Sometimes it is these very things that make life worthwhile with their inherent nature of self-expression. Through art we can expand and enrich our understanding, and that is something I’m always for. As we enter the twenty-first century my personal hope is that these creative trends continue and possibly even evolve into a greater form of self-expression, and along with them those minds that can will expand. Understanding of not only yourself but of your world is key to achieving your fullest potential in life should you strive to reach it. Creativity, imagination, and art in whatever forms they take are at the core of that process."

: 2. Why does it seem that most of humanity is only out to Seek a source of entertainment that only quels the fear of dieing for a moment. Example; Telivision, Reading novels,...etc..

I don't know. My guess is because you designed the theory before you gathered the evidence. You seemed to hold contempt for me when I told you I liked Pokémon at one point, as you were constructing your theories of creativity, art, and commercialism (theories which lie more at the root of our schism than I think you at first see). I thought to myself, how can this be, when I just liked Pokémon because I liked Pokémon... is it impossible to just find something entertaining? Or are we all secretly avoiding death? I know you find things entertaining Cliff, or at least you did last time I talked to you. I don't think most of humanity is running away from death, in fact most of society plans for it (ever sell a life insurance policy?). Death is a part of life. The people you examined to come up with this theory may be running away from death, but were there other problems with them as well? Could it be that certain problems prevent a certain appreciation of mediums and that these problems are the answer your looking for? Just my thoughts on the subject.

: Now I realize That I do not know everything about this topic and I realize that it might be un clear of that which I am asking but sadly that is all I can provide at this point Thank you for your time.

Anyways, if you guys are interested in two organization dedicated to the creative individual there's Cliff's (realinspired.com) and mine (I'm the founder): http://www.clasheerian.com/ (TCX). Check 'em out... especially mine :-D Hey, I couldn't resist a good shameless plug!

Peace,
A. C. Gmork Labyrinthian Kadran X. H.


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