Rambling About Originality

They say no idea is original. All thoughts stem from other thoughts; all movements from other movements. They say that everything is only borrowed. All that was destined to be revolutionary has dawned, and is now only to be accepted. All that was destined to be discovered has been stumbled upon, and is now only to be understood. Trends are recycled and repeated. What is “in” now was “in” before and will be “in” again.

They tend to insult those willing morph what has been set in stone. They shower them with labels like “fraud,” and “copycat,” and “wannabe.” And if what they say is true--if our new ideas only imitate old ideas--then how does the human race move forward? Do we ever invent, or only improve upon? Do we think too highly of ourselves as creators; as artists? Are we not only thieves of artistry; of prior genius; of old news?

Is our improvement, enhancement, and innovation enough to pride ourselves on?

Short answer: Yes.

Innovation is what elevates us. Innovation is what keeps us moving, changing, growing, thinking--what makes us brilliant. Our genius lies in our ability to look at what exists and improve upon it, so that it better reflects the times and represents humanity in its modern state. Our changes, major or minute, are essential if we are to improve the quality of life. Our changes, major or minute, are what defines what it means to be alive and thinking in the 21st century.

It is not the duty of the artist to produce what is new and shiny, but to make useful, beautiful and seemingly new what has been in front of us the whole time. Value the remix, the edit, the afterthought, and the by-product. Originality, or creativity, is not the ability to see something that’s never been seen. It is rather the ability to see it differently.