Creative minds

I recently read a book authored by none other than the famous Hungarian psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi and his insights on creative minds.
Realizing the fine balance between an insane person and a genius is very close at hand, despite being called two very distinct names.

Csikszentmihalyi is noted for his work in the study of happiness and creativity, but is best known as the architect of the notion of flow and for his years of research and writing on the topic. He is the author of many books and over 120 articles or book chapters. Martin Seligman, former president of the American Psychological Association, described Csikszentmihalyi as the world's leading researcher on positive psychology. Csikszentmihalyi once said: "Repression is not the way to virtue. When people restrain themselves out of fear, their lives are by necessity diminished. Only through freely chosen discipline can life be enjoyed and still kept within the bounds of reason." His works are influential and are widely cited

The common elements is/was the lack of a normal life or setbacks as people see it, usually at very young age, its the hardships that creates the very basic for a genius to emerge along with a curios mind and not an environment of privileges. It seems like the very thing that unites them together is the wish and hope for a peaceful life instead of the hardships that scarred the creative minds from the start.

Another common thing they shared, was the lack of a father figure that created the boundaries that are taught in society or a strong loving mother, i really couldnt see the difference.

What shared the madman from the creative genius was the common factor of looking at every aspect of humanity, the cons and the pros and asking themselves the question ;" Why " and not setting a label of;" This is what we got. "

Yet there is one crucial thing that unite them all together, an important fact. Beethoven and Mozart, Shakespeare, Leonardo Da Vinci or Albert Einstein, even though centuries puts them apart,there is one thing a creative mind cant be without. Its as simple as the circumstances around it, the genius needs the right tools to create. Beethoven and Mozart needed musical instruments, Shakespeare needed the English renaissance just as Leonardo in Italy.
Albert Einstein, well he and his wife, worked with patents. They all were given the right tools in the right time and at the right age, during times of changes and mastering the basics made them creators of their own domain.

What i found out be standing on the shoulders of Mihaly, the creative minds are created by extreme pressure formed into diamonds, they break or they begin to spark, they shatter or turn dark, then its up to the circumstances around to polish and cut it into something that can be out on display.

I can assume the joy of Psychologists when they find an unpolished diamond and their hope its doesnt shatter, or break, trying to fit a Jungian Archetype to figure out the pressure points, careful and delicate work to see if something emerge deep within.

Source

Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi

a reply to: tikbalang

Diamonds don't break easily.

I like the thought behind the flow concept: being so involved that nothing else matters, being in the zone or in the grove.

So am I understanding what I read correctly ? That this DR. proposes that the "genius" comes out once the individual is in the flow or zone state ?

leolady

a reply to: leolady

What i believe is that the brain constantly rewards problem solving, like a junkie caught on drugs. It's brain chemistry, the flow zone state of mind is what I believe euphoric the creative outcome is an acid trip..

article

a reply to: tikbalang

Ummmm, so what does that mean ? That people in the zone are temporarily schizophrenic ?

leolady

a reply to: leolady

In a way, yes, they are schizophrenic, but i believe there is a limit to the insanity, if pushed to far, i believe it looks like this.

a reply to: leolady

More like meditation. The world goes away and the brain "gets high" on thinking. Then the creative thinking "just is". Where it leads is the reward for being in that state. So you want to be there more often.

"Flow" the book is awesome! Everyone please read it because it is important.

If it happens to you then you'll need to know how to cope.

S+F just for the topic alone!

a reply to: TEOTWAWKIAIFF

An interesting aspect to the scenario, a movie called " Pans Labyrinth " i believe portrayed it in a modest way.

IMDB

a reply to: tikbalang

Great movie!

(Name I can't spell's book, Flow) really is a great read. Highly advised to all trying to understand not just themselves but other creative minds.

It seems to be a process that you can learn which is cool because nobody needs to be left behind.

a reply to: tikbalang

Reminds me of one of my favorite quotes:

originally posted by: tikbalang
Yet there is one crucial thing that unite them all together, an important fact. Beethoven and Mozart, Shakespeare, Leonardo Da Vinci or Albert Einstein, even though centuries puts them apart,there is one thing a creative mind cant be without. Its as simple as the circumstances around it, the genius needs the right tools to create.

Genius does not depend on the tools available, anything in the hands of the genius is "the right tool", genius makes anything at hand the 'right tool'!
The quintessential 'right tool' is 'genius'!

originally posted by: tikbalang
a reply to: TEOTWAWKIAIFF

An interesting aspect to the scenario, a movie called " Pans Labyrinth " i believe portrayed it in a modest way.

IMDB

Great movie...fascinating, revolting, frenetic and calm all at the same time. Extremely tough to pull that combination off.

a reply to: tikbalang

Thanks for sharing this author. I'm an avid reader on the topic of creativity. I'll be looking deeper into his published work.

Regarding contemporary tools, it will be interesting to see the impact that artificial intelligence has regarding augmenting the creative process. It's use in the design process for example:

"Architects, interior designers, industrial designers, fashion designers, web designers, art directors will be presented with tools that will be able to create hundreds of novel design variations, based on simple high level requirements and inputs. All an AI-powered tool will need is a high level template, or style definition. I will be able to task it with “a craftsman style, 2500 sq. ft., three-bedroom home, optimised for maximum interior sunlight on this location” and get a dozen of designs on the spot."

"While humans will still be very much in charge of creative selection, the tools will massively amplify a designer’s ability to experiment, explore and refine, at a very high fidelity. And as any designer will tell you —we crave and thrive on experimentation."

And on the topic of experimentation:

"When machines become more intelligent, humans are freed to become more creative. That opens doors to completely new possibilities. With machines handling the hard numbers, we’ll have more time to embrace our human strengths of creativity and empathy. Albert Einstein famously, if apocryphally, used an algorithm to solve the problem of what to wear. His goal was to avoid wasting time and brainpower picking out clothes every morning. So each day, he wore one of several identical Gray suits he’d purchased."

In the words of Alan Watts:

"It is therefore becoming generally realised that for the most creative research, men of science must be trusted and encouraged to let their minds wander unsystematically without and pressure for results. As an experienced director of research he (R.G.H. Siu) has cogently argued that such a mode of awareness (no thought and contemplation without strained attention) is essential when research is expected to bring forth new concepts, and to be something more than the verification of old ones. At present this mode is mistrusted and rigorously checked by analysis, but it is highly possible that the unreliability of scientific intuition is due to lack of use, and to the constant distraction of the mind by selective attention both in the scientific and everyday consciousness."

Why you should let your mind wander

I think it is true that psychic crises can make human being to develop and that is how the evolution also happens according this article, ______beforeitsnews/spirit/2016/12/we-humans-are-fortunate-to-have-human-body-2506850.html.

The mind of mad person is somewhat divided or scattered, one may get glimpses of higher wisdom or intuition, while most of the time the mind is in chaos and low state. Meditation is a method to unite the mind, and it also brings one into intuitional state in a balanced way, and makes anyone somewhat genius, or creative, peaceful, concentrated etc.

If one is using drugs one may reach as well some higher intuitional states, but after the effect of drugs is over one might go to opposite direction easily, i.e depression, as one has a taste of the bliss, but no capacity to upkeep it. While meditating person progresses gradually towards more intuitional, peaceful state. That´s how I see it.

a reply to: tikbalang
Tikbalang, wonderful post. I look forward to exploring the subject more.

As a person that plays a musical instrument, I have , along with other musician types, come to understand that there is a place where the music is free flowing (especially if playing your own music). We call it the zone. I have even come to understand it is the same place athletes speak of as well.

Is this the same thing?

Also, I read a study on Impromptu Jazz Musicians. The wired them up for Cat Scans of the brain as they played. One of the major things for musicians in some types of music is to find 'their own sound'. When they scanned the Jazz Players they found they used the exact same area of the brain as someone does when they are thinking of themselves.

The Jazz Guys were right, they were literally find 'their' sound. Like a unique identity.

I would love to see a CAT Scan of someone in the zone.

a reply to: Newt22

[ research topic ] music, dopamin, hippocampus.. XX / XY levels

Could you please elaborate ? On the music part

a reply to: tikbalang

Yes we concur, my confrere.

a reply to: tikbalang

I quite agree with what you are saying. Genius and creativity are the product of challenges and setbacks in the early life. They seem to trigger something which opens many channels and let the creativity flow out.

I also tend to agree that there is a thin line between genius and insanity.

I am only speaking from experience and not because I have read something written by some eminent professor or whoever.

What I would like to add is that the creative floodgates seem to open and then it is up to the person where they direct the creativity. They can stick to one thing only (such as classical music) or get into each an every activity that tickles their fancy (music, painting, computer programming, languages, running a business, or anything else for that matter).

It may be summed up in a simple way - setbacks and difficulties in early life simply force us to use the creative side of the brain (often referred to as the right side of the brain). We learn very early on that we can easily find solutions and make problems go away by simply tapping into that part of our mind.

What somebody referred to as a "Zone" in an earlier post is something I can readily recognise. Whether it is the athlete or the musician , once in that zone, time can be slowed down in order to execute the many combinations required. To illustrate , imagine an olympic diver doing the somersaults and twists or a classical pianist playing a fast and complex piece. It is as though they bend time and space.