The Need to Create

Need

We all have a need to create, to invent, to call into existence that which did not previously exist.

We can create:

Paintings, photographs and other ways of making pictures that capture the outer and inner worlds.

Building physical things from pieces of pottery to entire houses.

Dynamic, moving creations from movies to dances.

Ideas of all kinds, from new philosophies to ways to save the world.

Businesses that we develop from scratch into powerful multinationals.

Life, in the form of our children.

Discussion

Creativity is essential in evolution, where invention can be a matter of survival. Whether you are competing for mates, food or territory, strength and speed may be trumped by surprising innovation. Creativity is also at the heart of adaptability, which is essential for coping with changes in climate, geography and other shifts in living conditions.

Creativity plays to many needs. By bringing things into existence, we show ultimate control. We often feel a close connection with our creations, as if they were our children and a part of our selves. Creating is also a highly stimulating activity for many people, which perhaps is why people happily work in low-paid arts jobs.

Being creative can be risky. You are trying something new and it may not work. Yet the survival of the species depends on it. So the brain rewards us for trying, making creativity fun and exciting.

Socially, creativity is a curious phenomenon that the creative arts as a career is seldom as well paid as science and technology jobs. While we enjoy creating ourselves, it seems we are less willing to pay to experience the creative fruits of others.

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