I have often said that when one realizes one cannot die of embarrassment, life becomes much easier.
I have reached another epiphany. You become blessed with a freedom that cannot be imagined by those still trapped by the restrictions of the opinions of others. Suddenly a whole new way of thinking, feeling, and acting is opened up to you. There is no end to the possibilities or horizons.
You no longer consider why, but why not.
You no longer worry that it has not be done, but how it can be done.
You no longer think I can’t do it, but I can do it.
Think of those innovators who pushed the boundaries of the conventions of their time. They braved ridicule from their peers and being panned by critics.
Picasso was following the artistics norms of the time. He no longer wanted to be confined to the restrictions of portraying reality and true form in his paintings. As seen below, one of his earlier works, The Old Guitarist (1904), is painted in what was the accepted style. However, the next painting is in style that is unique and unlike anything seen before. This is Les Demoiselles d’Avignon (1907). When he revealed it to close friends they were less than impressed. And though Picasso was discourage, he returned to this work, privately. He showed it again and reaction was still hostile. He hid it for nine years before showing it in public. It was then called the most original painting in 700 years.
This type of creativity is not limited to the art world. In 1970 on Apollo 13, one of the many moon missions by NASA, a serious unforseen accident occurred. An oxygen tank on the Command Module exploded and the crew was forced into the Lunar Module. At some point the carbon dioxide levels got too high and a tank from the Command Module needed to be used to replenish oxygen. There was one huge problem. The tank to be used was square and the connection was round. The engineers at the NASA base at Houston were forced to come up with a solution to save the astronauts, using only the materials that were on the space craft. Using a sock, a plastic bag, cardboard, a hose, and a plastic cover the crisis was averted and the tank was able to be connected.
Creativity is a human function that has been around since pre historic times. One of our very very distant ancestors had something to say. S/he used sounds, and those sounds were eventually organized and the sounds were made into words. This new idea caught on and over time, probably a long long time, language was created.
As far as we know, humans are the only species that have the ability to imagine and hence change the world, even if it is only their little corner of it. But it is that imagination that has not only ensured humans to survive, but to thrive.
The are many quotes with which I can end this post. I chose my favourite.
“Great Spirits have always
encountered violent opposition
from mediocre minds."
Albert Einstein.
NOT THE MEDIOCRE.
Souces.
Time Magazine Special Edition. Summer 2018.
Under the Hood of Creativity. Anthony Brandt and David Eagleman.
