The Owlet - Looking at Creativity
Hi Friends,
Greetings from Sonipat, Haryana !
This week, I want to discuss a topic that fires me up—Creativity!
Now, creativity is a highly contentious topic nowadays. Where does it stem from? What does it constitute? Can it be quantified? Many questions remain unanswered.
The question I want to focus on is how creativity is related to originality. Are they two opposite constructs? Do they have no connection with one another?
I argue that they do. I say that creative originality is achieved by first copying others.
Counterintuitive, I know.
In any creative pursuit, one develops their own style by first copying the work of others. We learn by imitation. When we replicate another’s work, not only do we hone our skills, we realise what we resonate with. Thus, we gain a clearer picture of our style. This is the basic premise of my article - Creativity vs Originality.
Do you agree or not? What are your thoughts? Let me know by replying to this email!
My Favourite Links
Grit: the power of passion and perseverance | Angela Lee Duckworth — www.youtube.com
How cultivating interests, deliberate practice, a higher purpose, and a growth mindset will help develop your grit.
The Biggest Organism on Earth — www.youtube.com
There are many debates on what the biggest organism in the world is, for one, how does one define big? Or for that matter, how does one define organism?
Imitate, Then Innovate - David Perell — perell.com
David shares how to improve your writing by copying your favourite writers' style. Read here.
Photo-Story
I was walking early one morning in Alappuzha when, across the canal, I saw this pink house. I thought, “if a cycle passed before it, it would make an interesting composition”. And so I found a rock to seat myself, and I lay there for an hour, waiting for the right subject to come around.
During that time, I photographed 2-3 cyclists with that backdrop. But something wasn’t clicking. I decided to wait as long as possible until the right subject passed.
Then, out of my left eye, I saw a cycle rickshaw approaching. To my delight, I saw that he was wearing a pink shirt —just what I needed to complete the composition! So, when he reached the spot, I fired away. This is the resulting image.
Favourite Quote
I've discovered that the road to originality is paved with the inspiration of others. - David Perell
Have a great week!
If you’re new, welcome to The Owlet! My name is Ishan Shanavas, and here I talk about my work, along with curating the most interesting ideas on the internet. I confine them to topics like Nature, Culture, Photography, and Art but often fall prey to other genres.