Hi, and welcome back to the Chrissie Murphy Designs blog for another week. Today I’m going to weigh in on a debate that’s been flying around the internet – Is technology is limiting creativity?
Have a look on google, and you’ll see all sorts of things out there about this idea. Before I begin though, let me stare something for the record… I believe our Creator is limitless in His creativity and I believe we are created in His image, so therefore I believe we are limitless in our creativity as well.
Why someone would think creativity can be limited in the first place?
OK, so now that I’ve laid that on the table and defined my core belief, the point I think this debate misses, is why someone would think creativity can be limited in the first place? Over the years I’ve lost count of the amount of conversations I’ve had with people about creativity. Many of them though go something like this.
“Hi, I’m Chrissie and I’m a Mixed Media Artist. I like to help people discover creative freedom through expression and then I share some of my drawings and work that speak to it.
“Your work’s beautiful, but I’m not a very creative person, I don’t do anything, I can’t draw to save my life!”
“Creativity is more than drawing you know. I believe we are all creative.”
“No, I don’t think so. I’m not creative at all.”
You’ve probably had conversations like this too… and that little statement, “I’m not creative at all” is a lie. I’m not calling the person who said it a liar, but the fact that someone has come to believe it saddens me so much, because I think they’ve come to believe a lie. They’ve been deceived, and it breaks my heart.
Some ways creativity is expressed…
Let me give you a list of how I think creativity can be expressed:
- Painting
- Sculpting
- Drawing
- Sewing
- Scrapbooking
- Designing
- Planning
- Hosting
- Entertaining
- Gardening
- Cooking and Baking
- Building
- Writing
- Reading
- Woodworking and carving
- Pottery
- Glass blowing
- Crocheting or knitting
- Cleaning
- Decorating
- Blacksmithing
- Experimenting
- Recording
- Researching
- Blogging
- Arranging
- Hairdressing and styling
- Cosmetically through makeup, nail art and pedicures
- Fashion
- Recycling and Reusing
- Frugal living
- Fishing
- Photography
- Lead lighting
- Jewellery making
- Beading
- Journaling
- Visually through Film and Television
- Acting
- Singing
- Dancing…
And the list goes on, but I think you’re getting my point. Everyone, in some way or another, is creative. Creative is defined as “having the quality or power of creating” and it’s “resulting from the originality of thought, expression or imagination“. I’ll say it again, everyone is creative. To believe otherwise is to believe a lie.
If you have come to believe this lie, I encourage you to speak into it and call it You are creative, you were born creative and you have the quality and power to create living within you Click To Tweetout for what it is – a lie! Words and thoughts are powerful, as they shape us (even our own), so break their power and start believing you are creative, you were born creative and you have the quality and power to create living within you.
So is technology limiting creativity?
Back to the debate… is technology limiting creativity? You’ve probably guessed what my response would be… it’s no, I don’t believe it is. I think we are the only one’s who can limit our creativity. Technology is a tool, nothing more, nothing less, whether you choose to use the tool or not, will depend on how useful you believe the tool is.
Someone who turns wood uses many tools. They have different chisels in all sorts of sizes and shapes and each tool can produce a different effect in the wood. A wood turner will have their favourite tool, and they’ll have tools they don’t like at all.
Technology is no different. As a tool there will be those who love it for helping to produce more creative ideas, and there will be those who don’t, because their creative ideas are fueled in other ways. I think both sides of the fence are ok, the problems only arise when one side thinks it’s better than the other. It’s great to be passionate about what fuels your creative ideas, just don’t get so passionate that you believe your way is the only way.
Isn’t it ironic?
I hope I’ve given you another perspective to consider in this great debate, but do you know what? I’d love to hear your perspective too! Leave me a comment.
So much of this debate is happening online, and technology is being used to record and store the statements and comments, of the for’s and against’s in this debate. The content of those statements and comments, has come about through the originality of thought, expression or imagination. As Alanis Morissette once said, “Isn’t it ironic?”
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Until next time, listen to your heart and sharpen your coloured pencils. A masterpiece awaits!
Bless you my friend
Chrissie xx
I SO APPRECIATE YOUR APPRECIATION for all the ways that people are creative!! I think it is one of the most amazing facets of humanity that make us “in God’s image.” All glory and gratitude to the Father, the master creator.
Amen Tammy!!
I think technology wears us out so that we are too fatigued to do creative things. It’s sad because if we did more creative activities, it would energize us.
You’re preaching right up my alley! I used to not think of myself as creative because I couldn’t draw…but as you’ve pointed out, creativity is so much more (and it comes from the Creator).
I agree, the only one who can limit our creativity is us ourselves. I love “You are creative, you were born creative and you have the quality and power to create living within you.” I am a painter but I have lived through years of dry spells (which I called my empty canvas syndrome lol) when I was afraid to fail. That’s what stifles my creativity. But you can’t worry about failure and be creative at the same time! ❤
So true Donna, thanks for stopping by, I pray your new year is full of fresh and juicy creative fruit, both in the painted and written form. You’re such a blessing, and the things you create nourish many.
I love this! I do tend to think of myself as “not creative” – actually in some ways, I feel like technology helps me be more creative. My issue is being perfectionist – so technology helps me get all the math / proportions more correct & to my liking.
Thanks for the encouragement and insights!