Does Creative Work Make the World a Better Place?

I firmly believe that yes, creative work makes the world a better place.

Everyone can be a creative.

Everyone.

But there are all kinds of messages in the world at large belittling, disempowering, implying, and outright saying creativity is a waste. That’s probably why so many schools cut art and music programs before anything else.

Yet the reality is something very different. Creative works have made our world better connected, capable of being better informed, and better able to grow and change.

Unfortunately, many people use those wonderful creative tools to disempower, force their way, and attempt to control and stifle creativity.

Human beings are incredible creators. It is due to creative work that we harnessed the atom, live in any climate we desire, fly in aircraft, and send rockets to space. Creative work made the modern world.

Creative work is not just art, literature, song, and the like. It’s also science, engineering, medicine, education, and other human endeavors to improve life for us all. Yet people take much of that for granted, which is part of why COVID-19 is still a global pandemic, and climate change isn’t treated as the crisis that it truly is.

I believe that when we encourage creative work and creativity in people – we improve them and ourselves.

We are not in competition

Let’s face it – we live in a fear-based society. Most of that fear is based on the idea that we will suffer due to lack, scarcity, and insufficiency.

What’s more, many people have become enamored of competition. They get so caught up in various forms of competition that they soon see everything as competitive.

There are a few places where competitions are legit. Most sports are all about competition. When one team goes against another or an athlete tries to best an opponent they are in competition. The point of their sport is to see who has the better skill, talent, coordination, and drive to win.

Aside from this – we are not in competition. Most of the ways we compete are not truly competitive.

Take academics, for example. Yes, some students are better than others and score better grades as such. This is meritocracy – not competition. In theory, this is how politics should work – merit and skill of the given candidate – not who can bully, buy, cajole, force, and terrify their way into an office.

I am not competing with you in any way. Period. Why? Multiple reasons, but it all comes down to abundance.

We live in an abundant universe. As such, there is more than enough of this, that, or the other thing to go around. No matter what it is – there’s plenty.

Additionally – what I desire isn’t what you desire. There might be similarities – but our desires and needs are totally different. That’s because we are totally different.

Even if we both write sci-fi and fantasy – or do any other similar creative work – we’re not in competition.

I believe that encouraging creative work lessens competitiveness.

Creative work can be similar and differently empowering

Have you ever noticed how similar movies tend to come out at the same time? There’s almost always a DC superhero film at the same time as a Marvel film. Likewise, different takes on the same character or classic story have come out close to one another.

And even when they are not at the same time – how many variations on Batman are there now? Robin Hood in books, TV, and film? Variations on Shakespeare’s works like Romeo and Juliet and Much Ado About Nothing?

These are not in competition with one another. Each is a valid creative work with its plusses and minuses. I’ve seen most of the Batman variations – and find good and bad in each iteration. For camp, there’s nothing like Jack Nicholson’s Joker. But for creepy terror, there’s nothing like Heath Ledger’s incredible performance.

All of these examples can be inspiring in their own way. That can range from causing you to think creatively about how to do the same – or avoid mistakes. Creative work comes in many sizes, shapes, and forms.

I write sci-fi and fantasy. There are lots and lots and lots of other authors out there who do the same. Some are independent and self-published like me. Others have the backing of major publishing houses and all that goes into that.

Are we in competition? No. Is my self-published work less valid or creative than their traditionally published work? No. Maybe they have tools for easier and greater sales than I do – but my work can be as inspiring and empowering as theirs.

How does my creative work empower others? By showing that telling stories – in whatever medium you choose – is a valid pursuit. Creative work is worthwhile.

Creative work in every form makes the world a better place

Odds are, you are reading this either on a tablet, smartphone, or another form of computer. The only reason you have this device is because of someone’s creative work.

Yes, the idea got blended with science and engineering to make it a reality. But even engineering and science are forms of creative work.

The interconnectivity of our world has opened the door to turn virtually any idea into a reality. While many of us find that enthralling and exciting – many find it terrifying.

Change is the one and only constant in the Universe. Yet change can lead to the unknown – and that scares people.

The world has changed dramatically in the past century. More than any hundred years before it. Many of the things we take for granted now were unheard of just 100 years ago. And we have not slowed down at all.

To many people, this is exciting and invigorating. But to just as many people this is horrifying. They don’t know what their place will be in a swiftly changing world. And their fears get played upon by various entities.

Creative works from artists like authors, painters, sculptors, and the like can help those who are so scared of change. They can provide a distraction, paths to the imagination, inspiration, and spawning grounds for new ideas. They can add to the overall acceptance of new ideas, technologies, and the like.

This is why I firmly believe that creative work continues to make the world a better place for everyone. And this is why I continue to do my creative work and encourage others to do the same.