Why Society Hates Creative People (And What To Do About It)

The video discusses the undervaluation of creativity in society, highlighting the disparity between celebrated cultural icons and overlooked artists. It explores the challenges creatives face, including the lack of societal understanding, the emphasis on convenience, and the difficulty of measuring creative success. The speaker, a designer, emphasizes that creativity is often hindered by commercial pressures and fear of failure. Despite these challenges, the video encourages perseverance and innovation, suggesting that true creativity thrives when individuals take risks and remain dedicated to their craft. The speaker also shares personal insights and solutions for sustaining creativity within commercial constraints.

• Art and design have a profound impact on human experiences, capable of invoking emotions, memories, and enhancing life quality.
• Creative works are often underappreciated despite their significant contributions to society.
• The disparity between recognized creative icons and overlooked artists highlights societal undervaluation of creativity.

"Whether it's a musical masterpiece or a beautifully crafted object, art and design is a human experience that almost everyone can appreciate."

• Art and design universally resonate with people, enriching human experiences.

"All of these creative achievements are nothing short of magic."

• Creative works are remarkable achievements that deserve recognition and appreciation.

• Creative individuals often face discouragement when their work goes unnoticed or underappreciated.
• Society tends to mock and disdain creative people, even though they are also celebrated and respected.
• The complexity and effort involved in creating masterpieces are often overlooked by the general public.

"It takes time and a great deal of trial and error for creative people to make beautiful work, and it can be really discouraging when nobody cares about it."

• The creative process is demanding and can be disheartening when efforts are not acknowledged.

"Creative people are some of the most mocked and disdained people in society but also some of the most respected and celebrated all at the same time."

• Creative individuals experience a paradox of both admiration and disdain from society.

• Modern society values convenience, often at the expense of appreciating the nuances of creative works.
• People prefer not to think deeply about the effort behind creative outputs, focusing instead on ease of consumption.
• The success of creative works is often measured by their commercial impact rather than their artistic merit.

"In the modern world, convenience is king. The less we understand and the less we have to think, the more successful we are."

• Society prioritizes convenience, which diminishes the appreciation for the detailed effort in creative works.

"All we care about is output and how it benefits us, and we're all the same, including you and me."

• The focus on output over process leads to a lack of recognition for the creators behind the works.

• Creative works are challenging to evaluate due to their subjective nature and the difficulty in measuring their quality.
• The "Ikea effect" illustrates how personal involvement in creation can skew one's perception of quality.
• New creative ideas often face ridicule, making it hard for creators to know if their work is valuable.

"Most of us don't know how to evaluate creative pursuits in any sort of conceptual, philosophical, or craftsmanship level."

• Evaluating creative works is complex, often leading to reliance on superficial metrics like popularity and revenue.

"There's the constant issue of never knowing if your work is actually good."

• Creators struggle with self-assessment due to the subjective nature of creativity.

• Creativity is inherently disorganized, inefficient, and non-linear, contrasting with the structured nature of successful businesses.
• Solving creative problems is akin to solving a puzzle with hidden and scattered pieces.
• The chaotic process of creativity is often at odds with the order required for business success.

"Solving an open-ended design problem or coming up with an artistic masterpiece is like trying to solve a puzzle except all of the puzzle pieces are black."

• The creative process is unpredictable and lacks a clear path, making it challenging and labor-intensive.

"Creativity is really disorganized and non-linear."

• Creativity does not follow a straightforward path, complicating its integration into structured business environments.

• Creative work is often judged by its profitability and recognition, making it difficult to predict its success.
• Groundbreaking ideas are often rejected by business stakeholders due to their perceived risk and lack of proven success.
• Creativity is inherently polarizing, and universally liked work may lack depth.

"Creativity is incredibly difficult to make profitable because it's so unpredictable even if you do find that Perfect Design concept the people commissioning or work will usually reject it."

• Creativity's unpredictability makes it hard to align with commercial interests, leading to rejection of innovative ideas.

"Great design and art is inherently polarizing If Everyone likes the work it's probably not very good."

• The polarizing nature of great art and design suggests that universal appeal may indicate mediocrity.

• Failure is a crucial part of the creative process but is often not tolerated in commercial settings.
• The fear of failure can hinder creativity, and monetary incentives can negatively impact creative performance.

"Failure is a huge part of creativity but it's just not something that's tolerated in commercial settings."

• Failure, while essential for creativity, is often seen as inefficiency in business environments.

"Monetary incentives tend to be bad for coming up with creative ideas according to 51 studies analyzed by the London School of Economics."

• Financial rewards can stifle creative thinking, as shown by research indicating a negative impact on performance.

• Processes and systems can reduce risk in commercial creative work but may limit revolutionary results.
• Most designers work within constrained processes to achieve predictable outcomes, focusing on craft over business understanding.

"Most of my paid Consulting work is centered around doing that but at that point I mean is it really creative."

• While processes can mitigate risk, they may not foster true creativity, leading to incremental rather than revolutionary changes.

"Young designers and artists Focus pretty much all of their time on improving their craft rather than understanding how businesses operate."

• The emphasis on craft over business acumen in design education may limit understanding of creativity's role in business contexts.

• Success and recognition can stifle creativity, as creators may become comfortable and stop innovating.
• Creators often stick to proven formulas, influenced by audience expectations and personal identification with their style.

"Once people sort of see you as the guy who plays Rocky or Rambo that's what they expect from you."

• Audience expectations can pigeonhole creators, limiting their willingness to explore new styles or genres.

"Once these people have something to lose they slip into comfort and stop innovating it's what Their audience wants and it's the safe bet for them."

• Success can lead to creative stagnation as creators prioritize security over innovation.

• Revolutionary creative work often comes from those with nothing to lose, such as outsiders or those facing desperation.
• Many successful creatives started with no prospects, allowing them the freedom to innovate without fear of loss.

"Most revolutionary creative work is done by people with nothing to lose they're also usually Outsiders."

• The absence of security or prospects can drive individuals to take creative risks that lead to groundbreaking work.

"Apple created the iPod after narrowly escaping bankruptcy the movie Rocky was Sylvester Stallone's last-ditch effort."

• Examples like Apple and Sylvester Stallone illustrate how desperation can fuel innovative success.

• Creators face both external pressures from audiences and internal pressures from personal identification with their work.
• The joy of creation can be lost when maintaining success becomes a priority over innovation.

"Rodney Mullen for example he's one of the most creative skateboarders to ever live he invented dozens of tricks."

• Even highly innovative individuals like Rodney Mullen can feel constrained by success, impacting their creative joy.

"Once the rest of the time you're just defending and you get into this like turtle posture."

• The pressure to defend past successes can hinder ongoing creativity and innovation.

• Creators often struggle with negotiation due to emotional investment in their work.
• The personal nature of creative work makes it difficult for creators to objectively assess and value their contributions.
• Many celebrated creative works do not translate into financial success for the creators.

"First of all, creators are just not very good at negotiation because we put so much of ourselves into our work, so it becomes very emotional and personal."

• Emotional attachment to creative work can hinder effective negotiation.

"Many of the most celebrated creative works actually lose money. One of the most famous examples of this is the animators for the movie Life of Pi."

• Even highly acclaimed creative projects can result in financial losses for creators.

• Creatives lack formal support systems compared to other professions.
• Unlike fields like finance, there is no structured path or mentorship for designers and artists.
• Creatives must be inventive in monetizing their skills due to the absence of traditional career pathways.

"There also isn't any real support system for creatives, at least not any sort of formal one."

• Creatives face challenges due to the absence of structured support networks.

"Designers not only have to be creative with the work that they do, they also need to be creative about how they make money from their skills."

• Creatives must find innovative ways to earn from their talents due to the lack of formal career paths.

• Established creatives often do not support the younger generation, fostering a zero-sum mentality.
• Scarcity of opportunities and large egos contribute to this competitive environment.
• Creatives are encouraged to undermine others to elevate their own status.

"Established creative people tend to help the younger generation a lot less. It's a very zero-sum mentality."

• The competitive nature of the creative industry leads to a lack of support for emerging talents.

"They're actually encouraged to put other creative people's work down. The thinking is that if you say everyone else's work is bad, it must mean that you have high standards and your work is really good."

• Criticizing others' work is often used as a tactic to appear superior in the creative field.

• Many creatives feel they do not fit into societal norms or expectations.
• The educational system often fails to recognize or nurture creative talents.
• Creatives often perceive themselves as outsiders within conventional structures.

"Most of the time we simply don't fit in, and we know it."

• Creatives frequently feel alienated from societal norms.

"Society wants you to be a good little worker bee, and most creative people are Renegade Killer Bees."

• Creatives often resist conforming to societal expectations, feeling like outliers.

• Creativity can feel like a burden, with persistent thoughts and unrecognized ideas.
• Creative efforts are often met with skepticism or hostility in society.
• The struggle for recognition can be disheartening for creatives.

"Creativity sometimes feels more like a curse than a gift. You can't escape your own thoughts, and you want your ideas to be recognized, but a lot of the time nobody cares."

• The internal and external challenges of being creative can make it feel burdensome.

"Creativity isn't just forgotten in modern society; it's often aligned anytime you try to do something new or Innovative."

• New and innovative ideas are frequently met with resistance or ridicule.

• Prince's early career exemplifies the challenges of being a creative pioneer.
• Despite initial rejection, Prince's perseverance led to his iconic status.
• His story highlights the importance of conviction and courage in creative pursuits.

"My friend Rafi saw Prince live in concert in 1981... the audience didn't know what to make of him."

• Prince's unique style initially confused and alienated audiences.

"What's most spectacular about this story is that Prince had the conviction and the courage to move forward anyway."

• Prince's determination to continue despite rejection underscores the resilience required in creative fields.

• Creativity is accessible to everyone, which can be both advantageous and problematic.
• Unlike other professions, there is no formal barrier to entry in creative fields, leading to a wide variance in quality.
• The abundance of creatives and lack of business training often drive down the perceived value of creative work.

"Another inherent issue of creativity is that there's really no barrier to entry. This can actually be a really good thing because it's accessible to anyone and anyone can engage in it, but it can be a problem because anyone can call themselves an artist or a designer."

• This quote highlights the dual nature of creativity's accessibility, emphasizing both its inclusivity and the challenge it presents in terms of quality control.

• The uncertainty of how creative work will be received makes the field both exciting and exhausting.
• Many creatives, despite their talent, struggle for years without recognition.
• Success stories often involve taking significant risks and enduring repeated failures.

"The uncertainty of creativity is what makes it exciting but also exhausting. You just never know how your work is going to be received."

• This quote underscores the unpredictable nature of creative success, capturing the emotional highs and lows faced by creatives.

• Presentation is crucial in creative work and can significantly impact how work is perceived.
• Effective showmanship can elevate the perceived value and appeal of creative projects.

"Presentation is everything. All great creatives understand Showmanship, whether it's reviewing an object that's actually cake, an iPhone unboxing, or an Isai Miyake fashion show."

• This quote emphasizes the importance of how creative work is presented, suggesting that presentation can make a significant difference in its reception.

• Persistence in creative work is essential, despite external opinions or setbacks.
• Creatives should focus on continuous creation and improvement rather than waiting for success to come to them.

"If you love your craft, just keep doing it. Don't stop. You can't control anything about how your work is perceived, but you can control the amount of work that you create."

• This quote advocates for relentless dedication to one's craft, highlighting the importance of personal commitment over external validation.

• Creatives working for corporations often need to balance their vision with business requirements.
• Having personal projects can provide a creative outlet and mitigate the constraints of commercial work.

"If you're doing creative work for corporations or for money, you have to play by the rules of business."

• This quote reflects the necessity for creatives to adapt their work to fit business contexts, while also maintaining personal creative outlets.

• Creating has intrinsic value, enriching the creator's life and potentially impacting others positively.
• The act of creation is a courageous choice that can improve the world, even in small ways.

"There's value in creation for its own sake. There's nothing more life-affirming and courageous than the choice to create."

• This quote highlights the inherent worth of creation, independent of external success or recognition, emphasizing its personal and societal benefits.