A creative new normal: Who can we be in 20 years?

Abstract

Can we live better—with greater health, joy, purpose, and creative vision—toward a new type of “normality”? Picture a one-size-fits-all conformist norm. Now contrast a dynamic evolving process-picture, different for each of us, honoring a diversity of ways we can all creatively—while harmoniously—grow and contribute together. This article, from a new 2022 talk, continues discussion of Creativity, Chaos and Complexity (or NDS, nonlinear dynamical systems theory) from a 2021 keynote at the SOU Creativity Conference. Using five examples, it expands on one key feature, a Creative New Normal—with potential challenges and benefits, now and in 20 years. Drawn from chaos and complexity constructs, five colorful examples are used to paint one portrait of the future. A person, when creating, says “I am...” Alive!, Visionary, On a Path, Containing Worlds, and Empathetic. A shift could affect (a) our worldview—furthering a long awaited change in both worldview and view of self-in-world, consistent with an NDS paradigm shift, now 50 years old in the “hard sciences” but only beginning in social sciences; plus (b) educational practice—with an opportunity, given dramatic new interest in our universal “everyday creativity” (versus limitation to an eminent elite in arts and sciences) to open floodgates for creative development. Development of chaos and complexity intuition can boost further this facility. Although some still insist “I'm not creative!” too many have lacked resources, teachers, mentorship and confidence for creative self-development. Opening this creative path as a birthright and cultural expectation can help us all survive and thrive—for self, society, and our endangered planet.