Why aren't people creative nowadays? |
I know I’m not the most experienced or established writer in the world, but I’m gonna tell you what I think is to blame for the lack of creativity nowadays. School. School and work. It’s not the concept of learning, or even what we are learning, or even the teachers most of the time, it’s the homework, the exams and the stress. It doesn’t even stop there, either. When we go to work, it’s the same monotonous routine, over and over again. No variation, no chance or need to think outside of the box. My point is that if we are always being criticised and interrupted, for not being ‘politically correct’ or not having any ‘points to back up our arguments’ or for just simply being wrong, then people are scared to put forward their opinions, to be creative, to be different from other people. It makes us hesitant, and if we are always going to be wrong, then what is the point of coming up with new ideas? And in the routine of our daily lives there simply does not seem to be any need for it, and our minds our preoccupied with other tasks that need doing; we have no freedom to simply think without having something to worry about. You may think that it’s all very well me moaning; what do we actually do about this? How do we not let it get to us? The answer is to add change. However small, just do something that you normally wouldn’t. Say something you wouldn’t normally have the courage to say to someone. Just strive to make your day out of the ordinary, that way you will think about different things, and different thoughts will come to you. You can even just make changes in the way you think about things– when you see someone walking down the street, think where they might be going and why. Who are they going to see? And make it as outrageous as you like, who cares if it doesn’t make sense? You can sort it out later. Just get into the habit of thinking like a crazy person with crazy thoughts. I don’t know about you, but I would much rather be a bit loopy than bored. I find ordinary objects(however stupid that sounds) a really good way to think creatively. Think who made them, where they are from, why are they making it. And it doesn’t even have to be who actually made it or where they actually came from. Make it up. Make everything up. Give everything a little story, and just get out there and see the world, go to places. Who wants to be stuck in one place and one mindset all the time? People are always going to criticise you, and take their advice on bored instead of letting it get to you, but at the end of the day, if they're rude about your work they know where to go, don't they? My new motto: Change often or be bored. |