I am fascinated with the notion of creativity. What is it that makes some people seek out the new, the different, the unusual? What is it about their upbringing and their education that pushes them to push the envelope? Elizabeth Gilbert has some interesting things to say about the notion of creating - of tapping into the "genius" that is not only all around us, but within us as well.
Creating is a uniquely enriching experience. It fills us as it empties us. At its heart, it is an endeavor of curiosity where we seek to not only figure out what we think, but how we fit within the world. It saddens me that our educational system is not structured to encourage such thought. When we do make the time for our students to think in such a capacity, they look like deer caught in the headlights. They want to know how they will be graded and exactly what they can do to please us and earn a high mark. Ah, we've trained them well.
Well, there is good news in all of this. Some of our bright young ones are somehow able to maintain a sense of curiosity and ingenuity. They are not hampered by the new technologies and advances that we are making as a society - they are using them to propel their own, unique, creative messages. Check out this story about what an unknown New York band, a subway, and a few iphones can teach us about thinking outside the box.
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