Holbrook
December 12th, 2004, 01:25 AM
I wrote this in answer to a thread elsewhere and thought it could spark a dissussion here... :)
Two words creativity and rewards the meaning of which differs from person to person.
Creativity
Most people these days when speaking of creativity think of the performing arts. It is wrong, in my opinion, to think that only people involved with this profession “create”. Everyone expresses creativity in someway or other. From the way they dress to the decoration of their home and the creation of their garden to name a few.
A human being, I believe, is driven to imprint their surroundings, their world with their own personality, this is their creativity. It is showing others, this is what I am, how I think, what I dream, how I wish things to be. It is part and parcel of drive to communicate and express ourselves.
Actors, writers, songwriters and comics etc, reflect the creativity around them, filtering it through their own perception of what is. It is this I see, this I wish to show you. We find it amusing because we see the reflections familiar to us, understand the creative need and desire to share.
Problem is that sometimes the process works better than at other times, the link is made, solid and true and the feedback goes both ways. Another time the effort fails, the connection not made. Faulty or sloppy creativity, no! It did not hit the right note at that time. It might in the future; it might of in the past.
A writer does the same, taking what they see, know, understand and place it down on paper in a series of words. BUT the words are not seen the same way by the reader, they never can be. The reader filters the words through their own thoughts, experiences, desires and understanding. Thus the words are re-created by the reader. The same can be said of a film or TV programme. Each of us “creates” at the moment we read/watch. It is part of being human, a wonderful part.
Rewards
A lot of people believe or think that the expressing of their creativity will bring with it fame and fortune. If you are very lucky it will, but for most of us financial rewards, with all the pros and cons are not on the cards. And if we are sensible we accept this, yet it does not stop human beings from expressing their creativity.
Why?
For some it is to have their ego stroked, to bask in the praise of their peers. All of us like praise, it is natural. Yet, if you create you expose yourself along with your creation and for every one that likes it, the people you “connect” with, there is going to be ten that don’t like it, that the connection is negative.
But it is this very exposure of who and what we are that is the desire to reach out.
All of us that create, all that show others of our kind part of us, must at some point sit down and think about the reasons why and are we prepared to accept the costs of doing so. For each level of creation exposes us more than the level before. Don’t cry and moan when the pain of rejection of your creativity is more than the praise, for in a strange way it is part of the reward and must be taken because it is part of being human.
Two words creativity and rewards the meaning of which differs from person to person.
Creativity
Most people these days when speaking of creativity think of the performing arts. It is wrong, in my opinion, to think that only people involved with this profession “create”. Everyone expresses creativity in someway or other. From the way they dress to the decoration of their home and the creation of their garden to name a few.
A human being, I believe, is driven to imprint their surroundings, their world with their own personality, this is their creativity. It is showing others, this is what I am, how I think, what I dream, how I wish things to be. It is part and parcel of drive to communicate and express ourselves.
Actors, writers, songwriters and comics etc, reflect the creativity around them, filtering it through their own perception of what is. It is this I see, this I wish to show you. We find it amusing because we see the reflections familiar to us, understand the creative need and desire to share.
Problem is that sometimes the process works better than at other times, the link is made, solid and true and the feedback goes both ways. Another time the effort fails, the connection not made. Faulty or sloppy creativity, no! It did not hit the right note at that time. It might in the future; it might of in the past.
A writer does the same, taking what they see, know, understand and place it down on paper in a series of words. BUT the words are not seen the same way by the reader, they never can be. The reader filters the words through their own thoughts, experiences, desires and understanding. Thus the words are re-created by the reader. The same can be said of a film or TV programme. Each of us “creates” at the moment we read/watch. It is part of being human, a wonderful part.
Rewards
A lot of people believe or think that the expressing of their creativity will bring with it fame and fortune. If you are very lucky it will, but for most of us financial rewards, with all the pros and cons are not on the cards. And if we are sensible we accept this, yet it does not stop human beings from expressing their creativity.
Why?
For some it is to have their ego stroked, to bask in the praise of their peers. All of us like praise, it is natural. Yet, if you create you expose yourself along with your creation and for every one that likes it, the people you “connect” with, there is going to be ten that don’t like it, that the connection is negative.
But it is this very exposure of who and what we are that is the desire to reach out.
All of us that create, all that show others of our kind part of us, must at some point sit down and think about the reasons why and are we prepared to accept the costs of doing so. For each level of creation exposes us more than the level before. Don’t cry and moan when the pain of rejection of your creativity is more than the praise, for in a strange way it is part of the reward and must be taken because it is part of being human.