On the Essence of Creativity

Humans are, in my opinion, inherently creative and inventive creatures. The ingenuity of humanity has averted catastrophe many times throughout history, has built our surroundings that lead to the high standard of living we have today, and has created art that touches even the most subconscious of emotions. 

The creative process takes an incredible variety of forms, but it feels as though the word "creativity" has been relegated only to those who create in the traditional forms of media (i.e. writing, painting, drawing, music, etc.). I personally feel that we are all creators in some form or another, and the word creative can mean more than simply the production of something that's pleasing to the senses.

How many people have you heard describe a chemist or an engineer as a creative mind? Personally, I have very rarely heard of those belonging to such occupations being described in such a way. But how is the engineer who uses his mind, wielding the information around him, to create an engineering marvel not considered to be creative? Or the chemist, using his intimate knowledge with the building blocks of our existence, to create entirely new chemicals or materials for our utilization, not considered creative? The person uses forces from within, paired with the unique stimuli that accompanied them throughout their lives, to create something truly new, unique, and innovative.

The painter does something rather similar. The painter uses his life experiences in much the same way that the engineer uses the data he has access to. Their efforts both result, with action, in a completed piece that has a sort of value attached, be it economic or metaphysical in nature. 

The renowned painter, the innovative engineer, and the experimental chemist, while having different applications of their work, are all ultimately cut from the same cloth. It feels bizarre to divide people by their profession, with the more logical and calculated typically looking down on the more passionate and impulsive. And especially so when they engage in the same processes as one another. The man who engineers a bridge often shares a similar creative vision to the man who paints a masterpiece: they seek to turn their vision into something tangible and functional, their targets are just distinct from one another. To touch someone's heart is just as noble of a goal as to create a building that stands on its own.

We, as humans, like to create. And creativity is not limited to solely the arts. To believe that creativity is only of value to the artist is to miss a very fundamental part of the human experience, I think. Creativity does not have to excite the senses or exist only for our hedonistic consumption, creativity can also be practical (sometimes even rigid and boring for some). We should all embrace the creativity that's within us: to build, to inspire, to help, and ultimately, to express our humanity. 

If you are not an artist or don't believe that you are, I promise you that you are indeed an artist. You simply have not found your medium yet. 

Go out and create something.