On the Endless Cycle of Creation

Creativity is one of the most subjective things in the world, always dynamic and always changing according to the context it's created in, used in and evaluated by; because of this, one man's wrong may be another's right, and vice versa. Those who think there's only one value system on which to fit something into are those who've yet to understand the diversity and depth out in the world beyond their circle of comfort, nor do they know of the two aspects of it which create this diversity and allow it to thrive to this day: the science and the art.

Even there's only one way to skin a cat, there are endless ways for people to determine how, when and why that cat is skinned.

Take, for example, the oft misunderstood style of Cubism. People who look upon it often hold it to the ability of art to render the human form and nature through the the understanding of shape, color and light and scoff at its apparent failure to do so. They see a work portraying the suffering incurred at Guernica and think “What the hell's with these faces? Where's the color? What the hell is this even saying? My 5 year old can do better than this crap” They only see the science of art creation, they do not see the art of questioning why there has to color, why it has to perfectly depict the forms or why it has to be easy to digest.

In asking those questions, their thoughts go towards “Why does it have to be that way? This way seems much more interesting and fun to do”

So goes the continual cycle of rebellion, innovation and establishment, Pollack making things that would make Van Gogh wretch and Slayer making music that Elvis would snap in half while he proclaims it to be trash. Really, when people say “Down with the establishment!” they mean “Up with ours!”, a cycle that will go on after the grandchildren of our grandchildren draw their final breath in the presence of their grandchildren. Because of all that, people will continue to enjoy tastier foods, more thought provoking art and better machinery for generations to come.

No one may know where the envelope is being pushed to, but we progress knowing that it is being pushed.

Whether one learns about the principles set by noted creatives of times long past or creates their own, once they have a science and system to work with, they can then work with it to see where it can be strengthened, where it can be enhanced, where it can be nurtured to the next level. Once they get there? Then they do it all over again and push their craft to places unknown, with the results and their future on about the same footing. It may seem like needless busywork, but it's because of that process that people go from the glider to the propeller plane, and from the propeller plane to the jumbo jet, and from the jumbo jet to Apollo 13, and with each sky high achievement, the results tickle down to the everyday person and make their lives that much easier and nifty.

It wasn't that long ago that having just a library in your pocket was considered on the same level as Cold Fusion.

To those who cannot see the world as you do, your new fangled ideas are a bunch of nonsense, because to them, all those things just don't add up, but how times has that been said of the telephone, the internet, the very idea that gravity exists? If it succeeds, then it'll shift the way things are done and the world will be that richer for the contribution; it if fails, then it was a way to flex your creative muscle, encourage you to go beyond your limits and become that better, so then really, aside from your shame and reputation, what do you have to lose?