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5.03.2010

Defining Creativity

What does creativity mean to you?

Creativity has been defined by many throughout history.

Sigmund Freud defines creativity as conflicts and the creative process is a way to resolve conflicts. He was mostly concerned with the motivation for creativity and less with the process.

Carl Jung believed the creative process occurs in two modes:
psychological - the content of art comes from the human consciousness
visionary - creativity comes from the depths of what he called the collective unconsciousness.
He see creativity as a gift held by those capable of the visionary mode of expression.

Roger von Oech said creative thinking involves imagining familiar things in a new light, digging below the surface to find previously undetected patterns, and finding connections among unrelated phenomena.

Here is the dictionary definition:

Common definition from Webster's - Creativity is marked by the ability or power to create to bring into existence, to invest with a new form, to produce through imaginative skill, to make or bring into existence something new.

One of my favorite quotes about creativity:

You cannot use up creativity. The more you use the more you have.
Maya Angelou

What does creativity mean to you?
What's your favorite quote about creativity?

5 comments:

  1. Nice....I think to me creativity is bringing out your imagination and just letting yourself go...free flow in the mind....I don't have a quote to share..sorry..:)

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  2. To me creativity is finding space in the heart that allows play and intuition to flow freely.

    A quote:
    “The chief enemy of creativity is "good" sense.” Pablo Picasso

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  3. This quote doesn't mention creativity, but I think is all about it:

    "The journey lies not in seeing new things, but in having new eyes." Marcel Proust

    It's kind of a motto/mantra for me.

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  4. That is very cool everyone, thanks for sharing! Anitra, I love your quote/motto/mantra!

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Your thoughts and ideas are an important part of the conversation, thanks for sharing!