I’m attracted to articles about creativity because I’m interested in where my creativity comes from and if anyone can be taught to be creative. Most of the time articles on creativity are positive; being creative is widely viewed as a good thing. But I came across some research that associated quite a number of negative traits with creative people. Read here and here. (The second link is the easier read.) They aptly lead off with the title, The Dark Side of Creativity. The author of the latter, a professor of business psychology, believes he provided a public service so creative people better understand themselves.
Looked at through his lens, I have the “inability to suppress irrelevant thoughts and inappropriate ideas.” And I have poorer impulse-control. He reports that creativity has also been associated with dishonesty. Evidently, our lower tolerance for boredom and conventionality and our more vivid imaginations equip us with better tools to deceive. Well, I might possess the equipment and tools to be an evil genius, but I also possess some counter-balancing values like honesty and integrity.
When a neuroscientist studied creativity (read that article), she found four things in common amongst highly creative people:
1.They like to teach themselves rather than be taught by others.
2.They love both the arts and sciences.
3.They persist against skepticism and rejection.
4.They have crappy ideas too.
Wait… all my ideas aren’t fabulous?! I’m shocked.
Looked at through his lens, I have the “inability to suppress irrelevant thoughts and inappropriate ideas.” And I have poorer impulse-control. He reports that creativity has also been associated with dishonesty. Evidently, our lower tolerance for boredom and conventionality and our more vivid imaginations equip us with better tools to deceive. Well, I might possess the equipment and tools to be an evil genius, but I also possess some counter-balancing values like honesty and integrity.
When a neuroscientist studied creativity (read that article), she found four things in common amongst highly creative people:
1.They like to teach themselves rather than be taught by others.
2.They love both the arts and sciences.
3.They persist against skepticism and rejection.
4.They have crappy ideas too.
Wait… all my ideas aren’t fabulous?! I’m shocked.