What does creativity bring to society?

[foodeater]

Or a similar question, why do more 'civilized' cultures place a higher emphasis on the arts?

[bass_n_treble]

Because they need more beautiful things to keep from going batshit insane.

[Robotron]

In more 'primitive' cultures, the arts are religion, and receive as much if not more emphasis than they do in more developed ones.

[kali]

novelty

[Hyde]

Creativity is what separates you from every other animal.

[ALittleGirl]

Because creativity is the mother of all innovation and progress.

[kali]

Or a similar question, why do more 'civilized' cultures place a higher emphasis on the arts?

There's the quote “leisure is the mother of philosophy", and I believe that is applicable to art too.

"Uncivilised" cultures are more likely to be preoccupied by activities necessary for survival (shelter, hunting for food, etc) to even have time to indulge in artmaking/philosophising.

Creativity is not only limited to the arts; art is only the impractical manifestation of creativity. Practical creativity? We call those inventions.

[Ferox Seneca]

Creativity benefits us with the sort of pleasant ambience that can only come from novelty and sensory complexity, and with all of the totally awesome ways to waste our time that we have all come to take for granted.

The fruit of creativity is the result of a population having a degree of wealth that raises the interests of its people above that of subsistance. You probably won't appreciate this until you get the chance to live in (/visit?) some old, rundown vestige of a cold-war-era industrial city, or an agricultural village somewhere in a part of the world which has historically had its income stolen by the government for generations.

[Hustler]

Creativity is what separates you from every other animal.

To suggest that there are no creative animals is erroneous.

[Hyde]

To suggest that there are no creative animals is erroneous.

I wasn't saying that creativity is what distinguishes humanity from animals. (Although I do think that that is true to a certain extent.) I meant that creativity and art is a way of distinguishing yourself from other humans. This isn't its sole purpose, but I do think that it is an important one. Everyone (or at least, almost everyone) can eat, sleep, fuck, and die, but your creativity is what makes you an individual. Or maybe not, I haven't really thought this through.

[Hustler]

Well, to answer the OP: everything.

[Corbin]

Creativity is just something that comes in package with people. People make up society, people are creative. Without creativity people would be extinct, any solution to any problem can be considered creative.

[80b]

Creativity is an asset in natural selection. Being able to look at the world differently than all other competitors can give you the upper hand.

[ciphersort]

It's another way to one up your neighbors.

[foodeater]

You said pretty much what I was thinking- I asked because I can't figure out whether art progresses society in any way or not (which is probably what I should have asked in the OP). Bragging rights and a way to pass the time I can see, is there any more overlap with the broader topic of creativity or is there anything else? Maybe it encourages technological progression.. would computers be the same strength if not for video games, music, photographs, etc?

[bergenski]

Well, to answer the OP: everything.
This is unusual, coming from someone who emphasizes factual understanding.

[defragmybrain]

if there is a sole purpose like war, propoganda does the job amazing things, if done right.
http://dequalss.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/cccp-russian-propaganda-posters.jpg

[Aduckiex3]

To set yourself aside. To stand different. To stand unique.
Plus, creativity leads to new forms of curiosity, with which brings more questions to be answered, which leads to more studies, and with more studies, more advancement in things to be discovered/learned/found.
More civilized or 'high-classed' societies focus on creativity more, because they are not preoccupied with the struggle of living, or at least not as much as placed that would be considered 'lower-class.' I also see it as a way to differentiate yourself from another grouping. Being creative and inventing new things only seems to be a one way path.

[dina]

Or a similar question, why do more 'civilized' cultures place a higher emphasis on the arts?


Creativity brings beauty to society and hapiness to some individuals.

[dina]

In more 'primitive' cultures, the arts are religion, and receive as much if not more emphasis than they do in more developed ones.


The arts were used to express religious feelings even in very developed cultures - take the Renaissance for instance.

[BrownBear]

Creativity is a very vague term. Creatingness. Without creativity, we would even more closely resemble hive animals such as ants and bees. . . In a sense, it is the ability to make mistakes, but metathings have gone to such ridiculous heights that people are constantly intentionally making mistakes to get a rise out of people.

Creativity expands far beyond the arts though. Into everything.

I say the ability to make mistakes because unless you make mistakes you don't have a reason to change or create new behaviors or ideas, etc.

[dina]

Creativity expands far beyond the arts though. Into everything.

True enough. But still, when it comes to art, creativity is a must.

[durentu]

Or a similar question, why do more 'civilized' cultures place a higher emphasis on the arts?

Most basically, more civilized societies can afford more art.

It also has to do with how the values of society affect the mental processes. For instance, of the set of values lead to chaos and paranoia, the individual mind would be hopelessly filled with survival that the arts begin to take a back seat. If with the set of values, the basic needs are met, art begins to flourish.

In short, it's maslow's heirarchy of needs (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maslow's_hierarchy_of_needs)

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/58/Maslow's_hierarchy_of_needs.svg/800px-Maslow's_hierarchy_of_needs.svg.png


As you can see, creativity exists in the top most level in self-actualization. Maslow discovered that in general, the top layers do not exist without the lower levels. You're not looking for love if you haven't ate or slept. You're not looking to impress people if you have someone looking to kill you, etc

So the basic answer to your question is : civilized societies have the basic needs met such that creativity can flourish in its natural environment and mental psyche.

[edge walker]

You might find this book review interesting: Art for evolution's sake [The Art Instinct: Beauty, Pleasure, and Human Evolution by Denis Dutton] (http://www.boston.com/ae/books/articles/2009/04/12/art_for_evolutions_sake/?page=full)

[Jonnyboy]

Or a similar question, why do more 'civilized' cultures place a higher emphasis on the arts?

In cultues described as "civilized," those individuals who are not interested in the arts are content enough not to care that others are not producing food and other essentials. Most people like to look at pretty things, and if there is little else to worry about, then some time may be used to experience those pretty things. In effect, more civilized cultures afford those drawn to such things the time and resources to explore those desires. Less civilized cultures force everyone to contribute to the essentials.

[The Real]

At the OP - Evolution.

[Digital Future]

At the OP - Evolution.

Agreed.

[stuck]

At the OP - Evolution.

exactly.

Creativity is the internalized force of evolution.

[Curtis24]

Not sure if I said it already in this thread, but creativity is overrated. Everybody has good ideas - and from posting in forums, I've learned that all the good ideas I thought were unique have also been thought up by everyone else. And they, too, believe themselves to have been amongst a select few to have thought of those ideas.

Implementation is all-important compared to creativity.

[kali]

Creativity brings babies - the propagation of mankind. Seriously, what other act is more creative than the act of reproduction? I think people forget that the verb of "creativity" is "to create".

Keep in mind that creativity is the synthesis of two entities to create a product that is more than the sum of its parts.

[Ill eagle]

In short, it's maslow's heirarchy of needs (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maslow's_hierarchy_of_needs)

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/58/Maslow's_hierarchy_of_needs.svg/800px-Maslow's_hierarchy_of_needs.svg.png
.

My new background :)

[Jonnyboy]

Creativity brings babies - the propagation of mankind. Seriously, what other act is more creative than the act of reproduction? I think people forget that the verb of "creativity" is "to create".

Keep in mind that creativity is the synthesis of two entities to create a product that is more than the sum of its parts.

I don't think a product is ever more than the sum of its parts. Most of the time our minds are just too simple to extract a product from the parts alone. This is why mathematicians use chalk boards and white boards, so they can have a sort of external memory to better visualize what they are creating.

[kali]

I don't think a product is ever more than the sum of its parts. Most of the time our minds are just too simple to extract a product from the parts alone. This is why mathematicians use chalk boards and white boards, so they can have a sort of external memory to better visualize what they are creating.

Say I mix paint together, daub it on a canvas, and create a painting. The parts alone are not aesthetically stimulating, but the synthesis of those parts provides something greater. That's what I mean.

[hitomirou]

Creativity brings satisfaction both to the creator/the artist and its appreciative audience. It links us to other people. When we mix up signs, symbols, words, colors, movements, and sounds, and we like it, we are pleased and when the others understand and like it, they appreciate it - giving us a silent connection to the world. No small talk needed.

Creativity also allows us to go beyond ourselves. We are no longer beings who just live only to eat, drink, shit and sleep. We become creators. Creativity utilizes both our minds and our senses to produce what is beautiful for us, what is shocking, what is pleasing, what is gory, what is socially relevant, and all that. It shows our abilities of our logical faculty, critical faculty and our senses.

Creativity enriches our civilization. Without its contribution, it would be a sad, tad boring world.

[Unapplied Knowledge]

In short, it's maslow's heirarchy of needs (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maslow's_hierarchy_of_needs)

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/58/Maslow's_hierarchy_of_needs.svg/800px-Maslow's_hierarchy_of_needs.svg.png


Goddamn, the need for friendship, sexual intimacy, respect (given and taken), and confidence ahead of acceptance of facts, creativity, spontaneity, and problem solving? It's a fucking ESFJ guide to life.

[HoneyCyclical]

As you can see, creativity exists in the top most level in self-actualization. Maslow discovered that in general, the top layers do not exist without the lower levels. You're not looking for love if you haven't ate or slept. You're not looking to impress people if you have someone looking to kill you, etc


"love" is not an included word on that little pyramid. In fact, it's possible and even likely to be looking for "love" when you're starving and can't find shelter. All depends on your definition of "love".

Also, I think it's interesting that most of the responders immediately equate "creativity" with "art". I think that's a big mistake in defining creativity.

[airjaw]

Not sure if I said it already in this thread, but creativity is overrated. Everybody has good ideas - and from posting in forums, I've learned that all the good ideas I thought were unique have also been thought up by everyone else. And they, too, believe themselves to have been amongst a select few to have thought of those ideas.

Implementation is all-important compared to creativity.

Hell no. Not everyone has good ideas. Implementation is important I agree, but having the idea to begin with is just as important.

[Unapplied Knowledge]

"What does creativity bring to society?" presented to you in picture format.

Both:

http://violetcrush.files.wordpress.com/2008/12/shakespeare9.jpg

and

http://img.slate.com/media/1/123125/2158911/2159086/2159087/070221_CL_HitlerEX.jpg

[Digital Future]

and

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/50/Leonardo_da_Vinci_helicopter_and_lifting_wing.jpg


Based on Wikipedia's definition of creativity (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Creativity), I still agree with what one of our previous posters said. It helps society to evolve.

[floid]

What does creativity bring to society?With a very few exceptions stuff people never knew they needed that they cannot live without once their neighbor has it or they otherwise become convinced they need it.

[tobba]

I think the day somebody put a sharp stone on a stick, the importance of creativity in human society was established...

[weebolj]

Change the definition of homeostasis from physiological to psychological, and life suddenly becomes a whole lot simpler. Break down those oppressive pyramid walls and slack away, yeah! :grin:


A state of psychological equilibrium obtained when tension or a drive has been reduced or eliminated.

[Llewellyn]

Art is the creation of a society.

Ok, at one point recently I thought this. It's linking your perception to the outside world, creating a shared perception, which is what culture is. Hope it's clear...