Our calling to be more creative

Alexander DeSouza | Video Editor

Featured illustration by Jasmine Wiradharma

Ever since I was a little kid, I have always remembered being asked this annoying question: “What do you want to be when you grow up?”

Unlike most people, the unconventional and rather insane choice of fulfilling my dream of becoming a filmmaker was always at the top of my list. After high school graduation, most of my friends went off to study more popular fields such as engineering, medicine and law, while I consistently found myself drawn towards a more creative endeavour: the fine arts.

My mission? To create films for the world to watch and talk about. But as a part of a growing trend in our modern-day society, it is interesting to see the vast ways that creative people don’t truly get the admiration that they deserve. Why is it that creativity is not that much of a valued skill anymore?

According to Steve Jobs, “creativity is just connecting things.”

Creativity is the process of developing new and original ideas, whether they be movies, music, books or even consumer products.

There is no doubt that we live in a conforming society, one that discourages individuals to take risks. We live in a society that praises and values those who become doctors, lawyers, teachers and engineers.

While those careers are definitely valuable and nonetheless important, careers often pursued in the arts, or in any creative field for that matter, are often frowned upon very early on. But when we do celebrate creative people and their brilliant creations, what is often forgotten is that our celebrations only recognize the aftermath of what an artist has created. Those thought to be “blessed” with the gift of creativity are often only celebrated once something of significance has been achieved in their lifetime. Furthermore, those who try to become creative often silence the creative ideas of others out of fear. So why does pushing for more creative people to emerge in our society matter?

Like many other skills, creativity and artistic expression contain the power to push for more social justice issues and cause massive movements of change. Unlike more traditional careers, creative people just have a different way of contributing to society. While a doctor might physically tend to a person’s illness, a painter might just so happen to construct a masterpiece that causes an uproar and calls for more social justice and change.

Being creative and appreciating creative people starts by diminishing your fear to take risks. Just look at Meryl Streep’s speech at the Golden Globes this year. If everyone with such creative power and potential took more risks like Streep, perhaps we might just traverse the many hurdles that contemplate our society today. And who knows? Maybe our innovation and desire to seek out a more creative lifestyle might open up other possibilities for mankind.

Or maybe it won’t. But one thing is for sure: we will never know if we don’t try.