The battle of good vs. evil raging inside us all…
It may be surprising for some of you to hear me say this, but not all creativity is good. By that, I mean that not all creativity is helpful. If creativity is the act of putting something into existence that has not yet been, then it is possible to create something that’s not worthwhile. Lying is creative. Lying is basically creating a past, present, or future that has never actually existed. Liars are insanely creative, but that doesn’t mean they’re helpful or worthwhile.
The Bible has a perfect example of this. In Genesis 1 the serpent is described as the most “crafty” of all the creatures. He’s the original liar. The serpent is highly creative in the way he woos Eve toward the apple, but we’d be fools to think that what he’s doing is helpful or worthwhile.
So from here on out, whether it be on this blog, in a book or in an article, whenever I write about the importance of creativity, I’m speaking specifically about vital creativity. Vital creativity is done with generosity and the hopes of creating positive change in others. The girl in the office who remembers everyone’s birthday and makes sure that each one is celebrated in a unique way is vitally creative. The waiter that gives each of his tables a unique experience instead of reciting a script is vitally creative.
There is nothing vitally creative about the serpent. There was nothing generous about what the serpent was doing. As there usually is with hurtful creativity, there was an illusion of generosity. He tells Eve he’s giving her a chance to understand anything and everything, things that God doesn’t want her to know. It sounds really generous, but it’s really a lie, and it certainly did not lead to a positive change for human beings in the biblical narrative. (At least not right away)
Creatives have a choice to use their power for good or evil. Much like superheroes. The main difference between Superman and General Zod is one made the choice to use his powers to help instead of hurt. We have that same choice every time we create. Will you create something vital, or hurtful?
The Bible has a perfect example of this. In Genesis 1 the serpent is described as the most “crafty” of all the creatures. He’s the original liar. The serpent is highly creative in the way he woos Eve toward the apple, but we’d be fools to think that what he’s doing is helpful or worthwhile.
So from here on out, whether it be on this blog, in a book or in an article, whenever I write about the importance of creativity, I’m speaking specifically about vital creativity. Vital creativity is done with generosity and the hopes of creating positive change in others. The girl in the office who remembers everyone’s birthday and makes sure that each one is celebrated in a unique way is vitally creative. The waiter that gives each of his tables a unique experience instead of reciting a script is vitally creative.
There is nothing vitally creative about the serpent. There was nothing generous about what the serpent was doing. As there usually is with hurtful creativity, there was an illusion of generosity. He tells Eve he’s giving her a chance to understand anything and everything, things that God doesn’t want her to know. It sounds really generous, but it’s really a lie, and it certainly did not lead to a positive change for human beings in the biblical narrative. (At least not right away)
Creatives have a choice to use their power for good or evil. Much like superheroes. The main difference between Superman and General Zod is one made the choice to use his powers to help instead of hurt. We have that same choice every time we create. Will you create something vital, or hurtful?
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Follow jon on Twitter @jonjorgenson
Follow jon on Twitter @jonjorgenson
