Creativity Not Encouraged By Society | Psychologist Explains

Work-life balance, logic vs emotion, passion vs conventional job, science vs arts field of study: society has frequently tried to delve into such debates, as can be seen by the numerous songs, movies, or even day-to-day banter. The majority of the time the former prevails, security is preferred over uncertainty. Sometimes, people even look down on those who choose to think otherwise, using them as cautionary tales that dissuade youngsters from taking the same route. Ever wondered why is creativity not encouraged by society?

Artistic Transcendence and Non-conformity

Artistic expression has been an ever-present medium to express our personal thoughts and even a source to interpret what life was like in the early years of civilization. People apply novel thinking to even the most unexpected professions such as science and medicine, where it has been responsible for many technological innovations that have only come to benefit mankind. 

However, there is something fascinating about the concept of creative/artistic transcendence. Some of the most popular artists have used their creativity as a medium to escape into new realities and emotions. Fictional and nonfictional accounts correlate artistry with insanity: an artist is said to be a vagabond who defies societal expectations for their pleasure. Many present-day artists are able to use their melancholy to produce their greatest piece of art, whereas some have a feverish, sometimes life-threatening approach in their pursuit of perfection. Renowned artist Vincent Van Gogh himself said, “It is only too true that a lot of artists are mentally ill – it’s a life which, to put it mildly, makes one an outsider. I’m all right when I completely immerse myself in work, but I’ll always remain half crazy.”

Carl Jung and the Concept of Shadow

It is tempting to understand the correlation between non-conformity or even mental illness and creativity. We can gain some insight by looking into the concept of 'shadow' proposed in psychoanalyst Carl Jung’s theory. 

The ‘Shadow’ represents certain aspects of our personality that we tend to repress into our unconscious as a result of our interaction with our environment, wherein such behaviors did not result in favorable outcomes. Instead, we present our socially acceptable selves, termed as ‘ego’, sometimes going to the extent of forgetting that we, or even people around us, may be holding back some part of their identities. 

However, there remains a subconscious force, which seeps into our overt behavior. For example, when triggered, one may display envy, aggression, or prejudice which they may be unable to explain once they cool down.  The shadow can also appear in dreams or visions and may take a variety of forms. 

Therefore, it may be logical to wonder whether creativity may be an expression of our shadow selves or even an aspect of our shadow that we choose to keep at bay for social acceptance. Carl Jung seems to agree with this notion, as he explained: “…in spite of its function as a reservoir for human darkness — or perhaps because of this — the shadow is the seat of creativity.”

It is then no surprise that people will want to look down on creativity in order to continue living in a harmonious society. Creative people tend to be non-conformists and seem to have no care for social acceptance and norms, sometimes even those that ensure our survival and security. Following a non-questioning, the conforming approach has become almost second nature to all of us as it ensures both internal and social harmony. Enforcing the status quo may seem to serve some advantage to us. 

What Solution does Carl Jung propose: Shadow Integration

Suppressing our natural impulses can pose some challenges to our well-being. However, some restraint might prove to be helpful to us. Interestingly, Jung suggests that accepting the realities of our ‘dark potential’- that is, accepting that we may have certain traits which may, in our opinion, threaten to create strife in society- is perhaps the best way to ensure that we never act upon them.  

In the context of creativity, this may mean many things: ensuring that one’s artistic expression does not pose harm to anyone, or creating art that is somewhat comprehensible and enjoyable by the masses.