I was reading through a book called "The Musician's Soul" and the author James Jordan had a list created by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi from his book "Creativity" detailing the characteristics that he has found in creative individuals. I'm not "sold" on his ideas by any means, I just think it's an interesting list of characteristics.
1. Creative individuals have a great deal of physical energy, but they are often quiet and at rest
2. Creative individuals tend to be smart, yet also naive at the same time.
3. A third paradoxical trait refers to the related combination of playfulness and discipline, or responsibility and irresponsibility.
4. Creative individuals alternate between imagination and fantasy at one end, and a rooted sense of reality at the other.
5. Creative people seem to harbor opposite tendencies on the continuum between extroversion and introversion
6. Creative individuals area also remarkably humble and proud at the same time.
7. In all cultures, men are brought up to be the "masculine" and to disregard and repress those aspects of their temperament that the culture regards as "feminine," whereas women are expected to do the opposite.
8. Generally, creative people are thought to be rebellious and independent.
9. Most creative persons are very passionate about their work, yet they can be extremely objective about it as well.
10. Finally, the openness and sensitivity of creative individuals often exposes them to suffering and pain yet also a great deal of enjoyment.
What do you think?
1 year ago
2 comments:
I'm interested in what #7 has to do with a creative nature. Also, is the author putting that in a negative light, a positive light or a neutral light? The nature of a creative person is still under the demands of God for his creation. It seems the author thinks that "masculinity" and "femininity" are learned traits... but that isn't so. Behavioral psychology has even proved this, by trying to prove the opposite. Of course, those traits are cultivated by culture, but the essence of being masculine and feminine are God endowed.
Hmmm, I think those characteristics could be applied to an extremely wide range of people, not just "creative" ones!
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