The war against creativity (again!)

[Yul Tolbert]

And I've been aware of the attacks on creativity for many years. For example, a number of people have told me that all ideas have been used up and therefore no new ideas exist. Of course that sort of statment often comes from people who assume that their limited understanding of things applies to everyone. And then there's the rapid rejection of anything new or uncommon. When I proposed a wild and radical idea, the response I often get is "It won't work, so don't bother." But even if it doesn't work, that doesn't mean you can't get it to work eventually (unless it really can't work.)

Image if inventors were discoraged from inventing because so many people kept telling them that new inventions have no use in "society." Of coure in this age of spectacular mediocrity, you are expected to never create and never imagine because your job in life is to be boring, bland and "normal." Yet these same folks who attack creativity and innovation neglect to realize that the iPods they love so much were created by people who used creativity and innovation. (Not that iPods are the most creative of inventions, but I had to use some kind of example.)

If you enjoy being boring, bland and "normal", that's your right. But that doesn't mean you should force it on those of use who don't want to be boring, bland and "normal." But apparently the war against creativity means you have to force people to be boring, bland and "normal." If so, I will reject that malarkey now and reject it later! You can't change the world if you keep doing the same things over and over.

[Tom Hendricks]

I was posting on an NPR site to one of the website makers, and I got the stubbornness that you suggest. Here's the end of that post. His name was Jerome.

But, for me there is a bigger provincialness here (Dallas) than art protestors. I suggested a MILDLY innovative change in the arts - instead of an NEA for a small group of the artists, we use the money to support regional art centers - and without any questions about what that would mean, or exploration of the ramifications, or details about it, or how would such and such be done. there was one person who immediately stubbornly opposed it completely. Well Jerome there are a million Jeromes in Dallas like you. They were at the Dallas Times Herald, they are at the DMN and the Observer now, and at the mainstream TV and radio channels, and at many college radio stations and KERA and WRR too. I’ve talked to one or more in every place. The consistent motto is that any idea that is too new is to be shut down . And what is particularly weird to me is that many like you worry about shutting down art - while you’re doing just that. My worry is not the opponents of the NEA, it’s Jeromes like you. You may have different names, but you all are the same stubborn, no-change blockades. That is the real problem in Dallas - it has nothing to do with the NEA or its opponents.
Other Dallas artists see this and flee. I just shake my head.

About us (the KERA-BLOG) says ” a community online where creative people can come together to find, discuss, create and react to art.” Didn’t say stubbornly oppose everything that is new.
You are right that it doesn’t say supporting revolution, but it doesn’t say blocking it at every turn either, or making sure you celebrate the generic when so much exciting and revolutionary is here in this specific time and place in history. Why would you try to block so much excitement?. Or why block the groups that advocate change, or the work that openly challenges the status quo. You seem to want an open forum. In one breath, but oppose it in every sentence to me. When I’m open about my opinions there seems a rush to shut them down.
I shake my head.

[Rick Bradford]

Yul, you should totally start a new zine called BORING, BLAND AND "NORMAL". The subtitle could be "You Probably Won't Agree With Me".

[Madrea Marie]

There will always be new ideas and new things to create. It may often seem that every idea has been thought of (try inventing something completely new, then go do a search on the internet, and most likely someone else has already created it!) Of course this doesn't mean that the idea can't be thought of differently, or put into action some other way. There is always room for more!

[Tom Hendricks]

I'm doing it now.
But I also support Yul on this one. New century and everyone wants to be retro - retro bands, retro modern art, retro film making, retro novels. There really are very few creative leaders suggesting that a new century can have and should have new art forms . Yul's correct - and sadly most don't see it.

Reggie Mental said:

You do a lot of head-shaking.

[Rick Bradford]

Seems to me the appeal of retro and the dearth of visionaries are constants that have existed for a long, long time. Popular culture is what it is.

I think suggesting there's a "war on creativity" is a bit melodramatic (I know, modus operandi); when's the last time a majority of the population was clamoring for new ideas in art?

Artists complaining about it isn't new either, for that matter!

[Dan 10things]

Zacery said:

I like retro, I like that humanity is recycling its own culture: movies, music, art. I like the horror remakes that are coming out

I don't know... I could see redoing Halloween, but it now looks like they may remake the whole series (Halloween 2 is about to come out). I like some retro, recycling and remaking as much as the next person, humans have always done this (any assertions that this is a new phenomena like Tom is making are ridiculous), but I still like new things, new ideas, new tech, improved machines and toys, and people that push boundaries. The thing is, I think there is tons of new stuff coming out and even the mainstream is encouraging DIY in a big way now, so I'm not seeing any war on creativity.

[tim scannell]

yup...Roy...'z'been goin'
on since way since afor
the
rev'lulushun...ZZZZZZZZ
ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ..

[Elaine]

LOL!

I just look at people and say 'fitting it all into a box like that pretty much guarantees nothing creative gets out'. I don't let myself believe that creativity is useless or to be stifled. I see plenty of people doing their own thing in a pretty unique sort of way.

Don't listen to the nay-sayers. The only thing they represent is a person who has stifled themselves of all uniqueness.

[Bradley Adita]

note: if i get a chance, i'll actually read the entire OP (original post) - however based on the title and first few sentences, here is what i'll say.
(1) If you believe that at any give point in time, the universe is finite, then it stems from reason that there are only a limited number of ideas at any given moment in time
(2) But since there is time, and since the universe is expanding (or at the very least moving - not static) it also stems from reason that the amount of ideas is growing all the time
(3) As long as there is time (which is a measurement of motion) - so as long as there is motion, there can always be new ideas, because things have moved since the last time the "same" idea was thought - so because things have moved the same idea - is now new.
(4) Then again, there is always the possibility of actual original new ideas!
(5) Yet, if time were to stop - there would be a finite number of ideas.
(6) and since the future is unknown - and should not be taken for granted - I err on the side of a finite universe and a finite number of ideas (though it is still a finiteness which is, at this point (for the vast bulk of humanity) is humanly unfathomable)

[Dave Roche]

Yul, I realize you're playing the part of the provocateur on this site and you don't really think people are trying to make you boring, but it bothers me when you write things like "Therefore, I think I'll go find a place on the Internet where they do appreciate creativity. We Make Zines is booooooring!!" Go ahead, I hope you find some other site that's a better fit for you. I really do, it's not benefiting you to keep arguing against people you find so boring and it's definitely not benefiting anyone here to read your ambiguous rants. But for christsake, grow up about it. Just close your account and be gone. There are people using this site to start dialogues, exchange ideas, ask for advice or look for inspiration or community. Why do you need to shit on that? To try to make us feel bad for not being as smart or revolutionary as you? To make yourself feel better? That kind of powerplay is so boring.

So look, here's the deal, after you pop back in here to see how people are reacting to your last statement, just go away. If you do that, I promise on behalf of everyone on We Make Zines we'll never try to make you wear Dockers, Tivo "Dancing With the Stars", or read a Dan Brown novel.