What Makes Creativity Creative?: “I’ll know it when I see it.” I often heard my commercial photography clients make this nervy comment. I have to say; with some amusement, I didn’t see that portrayed very often. Creativity is subjectively deceiving; ask a dozen or more people what creativity is. And you will become inundated with a plethora of fanciful responses. Some of those will be downright brilliant. Generally, from those who live lives filled with creativity. Unfortunately, most will be speculative, with little or no real understanding of what it means to be creative. That’s okay because the world needs a foil to challenge the lofty thinking of us creative types.

Is there an answer to what makes creativity creative? Well, maybe, like my photography clients, “you’ll know it when you see it.” Of course, we know that answer doesn’t carry any opportunity for a meaningful discussion. Unfortunately, there is no definitive answer that can be reliable when it comes to all the different forms and meanings of creativity.

Imaginativeness is a very close cousin to creativity and perhaps the most profound and simplest way to describe creativity. Humans have survived because of two unique traits; the use of their imaginations, which made them resourceful in the game of survival. It doesn’t get any more creative than that.

The vitality of life and the human spirit is the home of creativity. When people say, “I’m not very creative,” they are actually deceiving themselves. No man or woman could survive without calling upon their inner creativity to solve life’s inevitable challenges. That in itself makes creativity creative.

“Another day of lost thoughts and ideas, abandoned by the creative muse. Then without a conscious warning, the muse showed up with an overwhelming treasure of creative impressions.”

 

Rod Jones Artist-Writer