Often the phrase "torment of creativity" sounds in an ironic manner. It would seem that tormented by talented, and even more so brilliant people, can suffer. For example, Michelangelo Buonarroti, the greatest master of the Renaissance, creator-artist, sculptor and architect, said the following. In response to a question about how he makes such beautiful sculptures, he said: "I take a stone and cut off everything superfluous from it."
But here he was sincere or cunning - God knows. Let's not guess and try to approach the questions of who a genius is, what talent is and what feelings they experience in the process of creativity, using a scientific point of view. As they say, we check harmony with algebra.
Close relationship
The word "genius" has two meanings. And the first of them is the characters of Roman mythology, who were guardian spirits of both the hearth and the people themselves. They were very loyal to man, knew of his birth, determined his character and the atmosphere surrounding him.
In the second sense, genius is a person who has very outstanding creative abilities. It turns out that both meanings of this word are closely interconnected. Domestic geniuses were the personal spirits of man.
In ancient Rome, it was believed that the achievements in the life of an individual indicate that he has a particularly powerful genius. But by the time of the reign of Octavian Augustus, this word gradually began to take on such a meaning as talent, inspiration.
And now briefly - about the scientific point of view on who such a genius is.
Leading time
A genius is a person who has the highest level of personality functioning - creative or intellectual. This level is manifested in the fact that outstanding scientific discoveries are made, philosophical concepts and the greatest works of art are created.
We are talking about genius in cases where these achievements represent a new stage in the development of a particular field of activity, when they are ahead of their time and thereby form the zone in which culture will develop in the near future.
Genius and talent
As for how genius and talent are related, there is no unequivocal opinion. Starting from the time of Kant, these terms are considered as closely interrelated, but many authors, among which, for example, Lombroso, distinguish these concepts systematically.
The difference between geniuses and talented people is seen, in particular, in that geniuses, as a rule, manifest themselves in only one area, and talents - in several. In addition, it is believed that geniuses are characterized by low emotional intelligence, which can lead them to various mental disorders. But in any case, both geniuses and talents are creative people. Without their respective abilities, creating something new is not possible.
Creation of spiritual values
Trying to figure out what it is - the pangs of creativity, you need to talk about creativity as such. Creativity is such a process of human activity during which materials and spiritual values are created that are qualitatively new. And also this word denotes the very result of this process, its result. For example, such as world masterpieces created by great masters: paintings, sculptures, architectural structures, literary and musical works.
The main criterion that distinguishes the creative process from the production process is that its result is unique. The whole “trick” here is that this very result cannot be directly derived from the initial conditions. No one (sometimes even the author himself) is able to reproduce it exactly provided the initial situation is created.
Thus, creative people, in the process of creating a work, in addition to labor itself, invest in the material with which they work certain opportunities characterized by the fact that they cannot be reduced to labor operations or a logical conclusion. Therefore, in the end result, some aspect of their personality is expressed. It is this fact that gives added value to creative products, in contrast to production ones.
By magic
Russian and Soviet publisher, philologist, literary historian Lezin B. A considered the following three stages of creative activity, which could lead to the creation of a masterpiece:
- Labor, which fills the sphere of consciousness with content, after which it is processed by the sphere of the unconscious.
- Unconscious work, which is the selection of the typical. About how it is done, no one can judge; this is a mystery with seven seals.
- Inspiration - a kind of shifting into consciousness from the realm of an unconscious ready conclusion.
What is this very inspiration, with which, using a magic wand, a creative result is obtained? Let's try to figure it out.
Highest Rise Status
Inspiration is such a special state in which a person is able to show the highest productivity, work with a huge lift and a high concentration of forces. In this state, two spheres are connected - cognitive and emotional, heading towards the solution of creative tasks.
When the creator is under the influx of inspiration, it seems to be carried away by a turbulent stream, he abstracts from the surrounding reality, does not always fully account for his actions and may not notice how much time actually passed - an hour or a day. It was then that an expression was used that the muse had visited him.
Muse's kiss
Usually a muse is a person who contributes to the awakening of creative inspiration from artists or scientists. Basically, such a figure is a woman, surrounded by the artist, poet, composer. This concept dates back to antiquity. It was muses who were given primacy as a source of inspiration for the poet, necessary for creating a talented work by him. If he succeeded, they said that he was awarded the kiss of the muse.
The fact is that the ancient Greeks believed that outstanding ideas did not appear as a result of mental processes occurring in the human brain, but because gods or muses gifted them. In Greek myths, nine nymph sisters, daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne, the goddess of memory, were muses. They lived on Mount Helikon, being companions of Apollo, who patronized the arts.
But what happens when the muse is not the creator, that is, when inspiration does not come to him? That's when the very torment of creativity comes.
When inspiration slips away
The thing is that for a creative person in his poetic or artistic activity lies the whole meaning of existence. Therefore, when he is pursued by failures in this field, he experiences it with special acuteness, reacting extremely painfully. In his view, life ends and the whole world collapses.
It seems to him that nothing in the world is more important and worse than the fact that he can not intelligibly convey his feelings in a poem or that he cannot manage to reflect chiaroscuro in a proper way. At the same time, it seems to the creator that he is a complete mediocrity, an insignificant person, that in the eyes of others he died as a poet or artist.
In such a situation, a person may begin to depression, he stops sleeping, loses his appetite. Sometimes people in this state, taking themselves to extremes, get drunk or go crazy. How to overcome the pangs of creativity, to experience the inspiration again? The answer here can be only one - do not succumb to panic and plunge into work, go only forward.
Looking for inspiration
According to researchers, a state of inspiration, as a rule, arises in a person who stubbornly and with great passion strives to solve the creative task before him. Here is what the great composer Tchaikovsky wrote about this in a letter to his patroness, Russian philanthropist Nadezhda von Meck in 1878.
He reported that sometimes inspiration slips away, is not given to him. But he considers it a duty for each artist to never succumb to inaction, as laziness in people is very strong. And there is nothing worse for artistic nature than to succumb to it.
In no case can you wait. Inspiration is a guest who does not like to visit lazy people. She comes only to those who call her. Therefore, you need to defeat yourself so as not to fall into amateurism. Thus, Tchaikovsky called for work, no matter what, and not to sit back.
Communicating with interesting people, with nature, listening to music, watching paintings, good films, doing some interesting business (if, of course, this exists, besides the main business of life - creativity) also helps to “awaken” creative impulses.
“My muse, my soul”
At the end of the review, it is worth noting the mention of the muse in modern youth culture. It will be a popular song performed by Bashkir singer Radik Yuliakshin, also known under the pseudonym Elwin Gray, Honored Artist of Bashkortostan. He is also called the Bashkir Justin Bieber. His song "Black-eyed" contains the following words: "My black-eyed, my muse and soul." This appeal is addressed to the beloved girl, kind and beautiful, with whom the hero has been associated with heaven for life.