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4 MYTHS ABOUT CREATIVITY: MIT Media Lab — PILGRIM SOUL
We value and admire painters, sculptors, and poets for their creativity. But other types of people can be creative too. Scientists can be creative when they develop new theories. Doctors can be creative when they diagnose diseases. Entrepreneurs can be creative when they develop new products. Social workers can be creative when they suggest strategies for struggling families. Politicians can be creative when they develop new policies.
I believe that the common association of creativity with artistic expression contributes to an undervaluing of creativity in the minds of many parents. When I talk with parents about creativity, they often assume that I’m talking about artistic expression. Because most parents don’t put a high priority on how well their children can express themselves artistically, they say that it would be “nice” for their children to be creative, but they don’t see it as essential. To sidestep this line of thinking, I often use the phrase “creative thinking” rather than “creativity.” When parents hear “creative thinking,” they’re less likely to focus on artistic expression and more likely to see it as something essential for their children’s future.
