Creativity in Decline. A Response

http://www.newsweek.com/2010/07/10/the-creativity-crisis.html


This is a response to a recent article on Newsweek.com entitled "The Creativity Crisis: For the first time, research shows that American creativity is declining". The title alone is startling enough, statin this is the first time ever creativity in America has declined and you know what, it makes sense.


The world we live in is not the same as it was 10, 20 or even 50 years ago. Schools pressure students to score high on standardized testing, just the word "standardized" is enough to realize creativity is not part of the equation in these tests. at home children are surrounded by technology (not to say that technology is bad) that does not foster creativity in most cases. Schools slash creative departments first when budgets need to be cut. Creativity is not as valued as it once was.


In a recent twitter conversation the topic of Lego and this article came up. It was said that Lego used to be primarily about the bare bricks, building something from nothing with no expectations or rules. Today many Lego sets are themed with predetermined results to be built. Follow directions step by step and achieve the end result pictured, just like everyone else. I am not implying that Lego does not promote creativity, it does a wonderful job getting kids (and adults) thinking and building. The point is that things are becoming very structured, rigid almost.


To be clear I am not defining creativity as simply artistic creativity. Creativity manifests itself in many forms and is a tool of problem solving and originality. We can be given an answer or allowed to find an answer. We as a society need to promote creative thinking and problem solving, integrate it into every classroom and in every home.