Creating Anything we Desire

Creativity is arguably one of the most important foundations that compose an entire human being. From a personal viewpoint, it could be described as one's ability to construct unique ideas and apply them to a long-term or short-term project or goal. Creation is known to be strongly based on the inspiration of those who came before the initial idea (Phillips). Today, with the way the Internet functions, anyone can post their ideas and anyone who has access to a computer or a smartphone can see it with a simple click of a mouse or an easy tap on a touch screen.

The Internet, as is commonly known, connects us instantly with any point and place on the entire face of the Earth. It even allows us to see different cultures and enables us to learn about practically any topic instantly just by typing a question in a Google search bar. Nicholas Carr, the author of "Does the Internet Make You Dumber", argues in his piece that creativity is being suppressed by the rise of the Internet in our lives (Carr). He even has the audacity to say that the Internet and technology strip us of our imagination (Carr).

But how is that so, given that we are faced with people’s creations and ideas every single day online? Today, there is widely available access to a platform where people can post and share whatever comes into their heads that could be visually pleasing or entertaining. How is that causing us to lose our ability to be creative and think imaginatively? To some, art is a purely subjective term. There is a reason why Margaret Wolfe Hungerford once aptly stated, "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder", a concept based off ancient Greek text (Bloomsbury International). What one sees as beautiful, or in this case as "art", another may think the complete opposite. Most would probably assert that a YouTube video, let's say, of a cat edited to dance to a song, is simply not art. You cannot find it in an art exhibit, an online art database, or even in a private collection.

Indeed, the video may not be considered by the majority of the population as a masterpiece. However, one could argue that the video does hold creative qualities. The person who made the cat video did expend their time and energy creating something of entertainment value. They were able to take a seemingly random idea and create something for others to view and critique. Some may perceive the idea of a cat dancing as "dumb" or even "stupid", while others may think it is the most humorous video they have ever watched. Perhaps no one has seen a dancing cat online before and determine that this idea is completely unique and original. That single person managed to create a video that someone else has never seen before, thus they tapped into their creativity and showcased their individuality with their idea. The ability to be creative is not about creating a piece that can be sold for hundreds or thousands of dollars, but rather, it is the fact that someone took the time to make something.

Being creative, in my opinion, refers to an individual's ability to visualize a concept in their mind and then transform that concept into a tangible piece for others to appreciate. It is undeniable that the Internet can instantly link us to virtually any location on the planet. Everyone understands by now that if we want to see, for instance, the Pyramids of Giza, the Eiffel Tower, or the Statue of Liberty, we can achieve this with a quick Google Search. We now have immediate access to information at our fingertips! Since we have this access to a wealth of information, could this, perhaps, kindle and fuel our creative ideas? Tiffany Shlain, author of "How the Internet is Shaping our Global Brain," argues in her article that "The South Africans have a beautiful philosophy called Ubuntu, which translates as 'I am what I am because of who we all are.'" (Shlain). Although this statement may seem unrelated to the topic, especially considering her article discusses how the internet can shape our worldview, it can be applied to creativity (Shlain). To expand on the idea that creativity is inspired by the projects and information offered by others, psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi states that creativity, "doesn't occur in our heads but in the interaction between our imagination and our social context" (Phillips). This idea can easily be related to the continuous influx of information we encounter in the age of the Internet.

It is a fact that everyone interacts with the Internet daily. As an observation, the creations of others can inspire newer visions. For example, imagine an individual reads an online article about the solar system, becomes inspired, and conceives the idea to paint a galaxy on canvas. The inspiration derived from the information found on the Web led to an innovative idea and visually appealing creation. There is an abundance of examples of people drawing influence from the works of others. Perhaps a musician hears a particular song and feels compelled to produce their version of it. Or a person browsing the Internet finds a photograph they like, prompting them to attempt a drawing replication. Maybe someone was so captivated by an animated film that it inspired them to learn animation. These examples are seemingly endless as individuals can find inspiration in almost anything they witness. An individual's idea can stimulate the imaginations of countless others. One person's creativity can affect and help mature another's imagination.

Tools have consistently assisted humanity in developing our ideas. Our creativity and the manner in which our ideas are brought to life are determined by the tools we use: "[Creativity is] a measurable quality that can be dampened or amplified using particular tools..." (PreparedU View: Bentley University). Some examples of everyday tools are the pencil and the paintbrush. The pencil has empowered individuals to transcribe their thoughts onto paper, while the paintbrush does the same on canvas. According to Monica Garfield, a professor at Bentley University in Massachusetts, "We are all capable of being creative… with the use of the correct tools our innate skills can be enhanced and harnessed" (PreparedU View: Bentley University). Tools are manufactured to assist us in ensuring our ideas become reality. How then, should we perceive online tools?

Software and other programs that we can download onto our computers have fundamentally transformed our capacity to be creative. Nowadays, a person can utilize software to edit a video, create an animation, enhance a photograph, or digitally paint a piece (Krause). These tools make such forms of creation easier than ever before. Speaking from personal experience, software packages like "Adobe Creative Cloud Suite" are specifically designed to help individuals bring their ideas to life (Krause). "Photoshop" can be used to edit and manipulate photos, "Illustrator" can create logos and graphics, "After Effects" allows the creation of video animations and motion effects, "Premiere" is used to edit and arrange clips, and "InDesign" enables the production of booklets and pamphlets (Krause).

These programs permit individuals to essentially create almost anything they can think of. If someone wants to create a logo for their company, they no longer need to hire a Graphic Designer – they can create the logo themselves! If a person wants to create a video, they don't have to shell out money on a videographer; they can learn how to create a professional video independently! With enough practice and knowledge of these programs, any person can use their ideas to create any project they choose. Today's internet provides a platform where anyone, anywhere can publish their creations for everyone to see. YouTube, a site known for its users uploading hundreds of hours of video content daily, is a prime example (Collins).

YouTube is said to be “the most popular video website on the web, and almost 5 billion videos are watched on YouTube every day” (Collins). Overflowing with the creations of others, YouTube provides a platform where everything from baby videos to professional film work can be viewed at any time of day. This platform includes gaming content, baking videos, animations, vlogs, and even skits. All the thousands—perhaps millions—of people on YouTube are creative in the way that they are constantly creating content. Another example of a platform where creators can share their work is DeviantArt, which is designed to display “a very wide range of art forms, including various visual and digital arts, crafts and the written word” (McGuinness). Users can post their digital drawings for others to view and appreciate their work. Finally, there is Instagram, which although commonly known as a social media platform, is a place where people can “…[share] photos and videos from a smartphone” (Moreau). It is commonly used to post photos, but people can also edit these photos using the app’s filters to enhance their aesthetic appeal and uniqueness (Moreau).

These platforms are just a few among thousands that enable people to showcase their creativity. Some believe that the internet has done nothing but impair the ability to be creative, leading people to think that the internet triggers, “new weaknesses in higher-order cognitive processes... [such as] imagination” (Carr). This argument is utterly invalid! How can this be true when we are constantly viewing others' creations and information on these platforms? The internet and media world are creating more content at a higher rate than ever before. We can now instantly share our projects with anyone globally. We have new and inventive tools that help us bring our visions to life. While not all of this is necessarily categorized as “art,” there is no denying that the internet promotes creation. As humans, we have gained the ability to be creative in more inventive ways than ever before. With this creativity, we can now transform the vision we have in our heads into a tangible product, enabling us to see our thoughts in the physical world.

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