Manifesto And Call To Action

To w a r d s Th e Cr ea tiv e S o ciety

A Ma n if est o an d a Cal l to A ct io n b y th e N ex t G en e r atio n F o r u m A n o rg an izatio n f o u n d ed to p r o m o te r ec o g n iti o n o f a m o r e cen tr al r o l e o f c r eativ ity in tw en ty f ir st cen tu r y s o ciety an d t o en h a n ce it s co n tr ib u t io n to th e q u ality o f li f e o f th e p e o p le o f th e w o r ld

Creativity W h o ar e t h e tr u ly cr e ativ e p eo p le ? P er h ap s y o u th in k o f :

Mozart and Duke Ellington Einstein and Edison and the unknown African who first used fire to cook Demosthenes and Gandhi and Montessori O f co u r se ! Yo u f ir st th in k o f p eo p le w h o h av e scale d th e p in n ac les o f cr e ativ it y an d lef t a p er m a n en t i m p act o n m u s ic, sc ien ce, tech n o lo g y an d so c ial id eals a s w ell as ev er y o t h er p r o v in ce o f li f e. Ma n y su c h p eo p le h av e liv ed — a n d liv e — in all t im es a n d all clim e s. Bu t th ey ar e v e r y f ew am o n g th e can d i d ates f o r th e titl e. F o r ex am p le w h a t ab o u t:

Five billion babies? S h o u ld th ey n o t b e co u n ted as cr e ativ e p eo p le ? Bu t w e m u st ask w h eth er it is p l ay in g w ith w o r d s t o th in k o f b ab ies an d Bee th o v en in th e sam e m en ta l b r ea th .

The Next Generation Forum Guiding Beliefs We f in d o u r selv e s at a m o m en t in h isto r y w h en m ajo r so cial an d p er so n a l d iv id en d s w ill co m e f r o m r e th in k i n g th e n o tio n o f c r eativ ity an d w h at can b e d o n e t o ten d its d ev elo p m en t. We a r e d ed icated to th e em er g en ce o f an in clu siv e co n c ep t o f cr ea tiv ity th a t w ill em p h asize co n n ec tio n s b etw ee n th e p eak ach iev em en ts o f g e n iu s an d th e p o w er f u l d r iv e o f y o u n g c h ild r e n to e x p lo r e … to in v en t … to co n str u ct . We a r e co m m itted to a d em o cr atic i d eal o f b r in g in g w ay s o f th in k in g a b o u t cr e ativ it y in to th e p o p u lar cu ltu r e an d o f d r aw in g “o r d in ar y ” p eo p le in to co n tr ib u t in g to th em . Th e d ev el o p m en t o f ch ild r en w ill b e h ea lth ier. F am ily lif e w il l b e r ich er. I n d iv id u als w ill b r in g g r eater co n f i d en ce to m ak in g th e ch o ices i n lif e sty le th at a r e p e r m itte d - - a n d d em an d ed - - b y m o d er n so c iety. Th i s v isi o n m ig h t h av e b een ju st o n e m o r e u to p ian d r eam i f it d id n o t r id e o n p o w er f u l eco n o m ic an d so cial f o r ces th at e x ist i n d ep en d en tly o f it s h u m an isti c id ea ls. Be y o n d b ab ies an d Be eth o v e n th e u n if ic atio n w e an t icip at e in cl u d es f o r m s o f cr e ativ it y r an g in g f r o m th e p r o f u sio n o f sci en tif i c, tec h n o lo g ical a n d ed u catio n al in n o v atio n s to th e em erg en ce o f n ew k in d s o f p e r so n al r elat io n sh i p an d so cial str u c tu r e. Th e r e ex i sts to d ay an u n p r e ced en t ed o p p o r tu n i ty f o r sy n er g y b etw ee n th e g o a ls o f p ar en t in g an d th e g o als o f in d u str ia l en tr ep r en e u r sh ip , b etw een sp i r itu al co n ce r n s ab o u t th e m ean in g o f lif e an d p o litica l co n c er n s a b o u t t h e p o l icies o f n at io n s, b etw ee n th e cu ltiv atio n o f th e ar ts an d th e p r ep ar atio n o f y o u n g p eo p le f o r t h e w o r k p lace . I n a ll th e se ar e as, an d m an y m o r e, th er e is a b u rg eo n in g o f w h at w e se e as m an if es tatio n s o f a m o v em en t to w ar d s a w o r ld in w h ich th e cr eativ i ty in h er en t in ev e r y h u m an b ei n g w il l b e g iv en n ew sco p e to se r v e th e q u al ity o f in d iv id u al an d so cial l if e an d n ew im p o r tan c e as a th em e o f p u b lic p o licy. I n th is m an if es to w e w ill l o o k at so m e o f th e se m an if esta tio n s an d th eir p o t en tial sy n er g ie s in a sp ir i t o f s h o w in g th at w h ile th e m o v em en t to w ar d s a “cr eativ e so cie ty ” is p r o g r essin g in ex o r ab ly w ith o u t o u r h elp , it w il l b e sev er ely lim ite d , esp eciall y in i ts h u m an isti c an d sp ir it u al d i m en sio n s, u n t il it d ev elo p s a b etter sen se o f id e n tity. Th e g o al o f th e N G F i s to g iv e it v o i ce an d p r o m o te a m o r e co n scio u s an d co h er e n t d ev elo p m e n t o f sy n er g ie s

b et w een i ts m an y m an i f estat io n s.

C R E ATIV ITY A C R O S S TH E LIFE C Y C LE

C H I LD H O O D I n o u r v i ew ev e r y b ab y th at h as e v en b e en b o r n cam e in to th e w o r d w i th a p o w er f u l in sti n ct f o r cr ea tiv ity. Th i s is o v er tly v isib le as so o n a s ch i ld r en ar e ab le to d r a w w ith a p en cil o r b u ild w ith b lo ck s . I t s h o w s i n th e eag er n ess w ith w h ich th ey c r eate an d in th e j o y o f cr eati v e ach iev em e n t. Bu t su ch activ i ties a r e th e tip s o f an iceb er g : f r o m b ir th t h e ch i ld is b u sy cr e atin g m en tal str u c tu r es in th e m in d an d r e latio n al str u ctu r e s in t h e f am ily. Crea t ivity is th e d rivi n g fo rce a n d a n essen tia l o f in te llectu a l d ev elo p m e n t. A s P iag et said : “To u n d er st an d is to r e - in v en t.” A n d to in v en t is to cr eate. Bu t as th e ch il d g r o w s m an y f acto r s r es tr ain th e p l ay o f cr eati v ity w h ich i s r ep laced b y a s tu d en t s’ su b ser v ie n ce to th e w o r ld o f ad u l ts. O f th ese w e d is cu ss t w o h er e. O n e is th e ex h a u stio n o f th eir m e an s av ailab l e f o r cr eati v e ex p r essio n , th e o th er is th e p r es su r e e x er ted b y ad u lts t o p r ep ar e f o r p ass ag e to ad u lth o o d . B o th co n v erg e o n sch o o l. B o th ar e ch an g in g . Th e sco p e o f p o s sib le ex p r es sio n i s o p en in g w i th th e ex ist en ce i n th e ch ild ’ s lif e o f n e w m ed ia, n e w tech n o lo g i es, n e w to y s , n ew so f tw a r e an d n ew w ay s o f r elat in g to th ese. Th e p r ep a r atio n f o r a d u lt l if e is b eco m in g ( i r r esp e ctiv e o f h o w m an y p eo p le r es ist ac cep tin g th is f act) less a m att er o f co n str ain in g an d m o r e o f a m p lif y in g in d ep en d en t se lf - d ir ected lear n i n g .

WO R K I n all h i sto r ic al p er io d s a f ew p eo p le h av e m an ag e d to l iv e th eir w o r k liv es in th e cr eativ e an d p lay f u l sp ir i t o f c h ild h o o d . F o r ar t ists, scien t ists a n d in v en to r s , th e ad u lt ’ s w o r k can b e a co n tin u o u s a n d f ar - r e ach in g ex ten sio n o f th e ch ild ’ s p lay. O f co u r se g r o w in g i n to a cu ltu r e p lac es co n str ain ts o n h o w cr eat iv ity is ex e r cised . Bu t th ese co n str ain ts g iv e s tr u ctu r e th a t su p p o r ts g r eate r cr ea tiv ity. Th e ex ten sio n i n to w o r k lif e o f th e cr ea tiv ity o f ch ild h o o d is n o t co n f in ed to th e p r o f e ssio n s ( p r im ar ily th e ar ts an d p er h a p s sci en ce) co m m o n ly cla ssif ie d as cr eati v e. M an y p o litica l lead er s, e n tr ep r en eu r s , law y er s, s p o r t in n o v ato r s an d , o n e h as to say, e v en cr im in al s also b elo n g in t h e cat eg o r y o f p eo p le w h o se w o r k co n sists o f cr e atin g p lan s, p r o je cts an d so lu tio n s to p r o b lem s. Bu t f o r m o s t p eo p le in o u r p r esen t - d ay w o r ld , w o r k - lif e c o n sist s o f r ep eti tiv e, n ear l y m in d less a ctiv it ies th at lea v e lit tle o r n o r o o m f o r in d iv id u a l th in k in g . Th e lin e — th e “cr eat iv ity d iv id e ” — se p ar ati n g cr e ativ e w o r k er s f r o m r ep et itiv e w o r k er s is c er tain ly n o t sh ar p ly d ef in ed , b u t it d o es ex i st an d u p ti ll n o w th er e h av e b een m an y m o r e o n its r ep etiv it y sid e.. Bu t th is is ch a n g in g . Th e n u m b e r o n t h e cr e ativ it y sid e is d r am atic ally lar g er th an at an y o th er h isto r ical p er io d an d i s g r o w in g f a st.

Th e cr eat iv ity to b e o b ser v ed in th e w o r k p lac e is g r o w in g n o t o n ly in n u m b er s b u t in th e w o r ld ly im p o r t an ce g iv en t o it b y th e w ield e r s o f p o w er. Th e u n p r e ced en t ed p r o sp er it y o f o u r eco n o m y i s d r iv en b y a p r o f u sio n o f tec h n o lo g ical i n v en ti o n s an d scie n tif ic d isco v er ies w h ich co u ld n o t h ap p en w it h o u t t h e en g ag em en t o f t en s o f m illi o n s o f p eo p l e in R & D , in scien ce lab o r ato r ies an d in t h e n o less c r eativ e w o r k o f m ak in g b u sin e ss d ea ls, sta r tin g co m p an ies an d ad v e r tisin g th ei r p r o d u cts. Th e n ew p h ase i s d ec isiv el y n ew. I n th e p ast i n v en ti o n w as an o c casio n al ev e n t car r ied o u t b y ex c ep tio n al p eo p le. I t h as n o w b e co m e c o m m o d i tized : co m p a n ies i n v est in R& D w ith th e st atisti cal ex p ectat io n o f a ce r tain r etu r n . P o li tical lead er s an d eco n o m ic p l an n er s p ay a tten ti o n to th e co n d itio n s th a t g iv e r ise to cr e ativ it y as d u p lica tin g t h e S il ico n Vall ey p h e n o m en o n b eco m es th eir m o d er n H o ly G r a il. Th e b u sin ess o f in v en tio n a n d d is co v er y is o n ly o n e w ay i n w h ic h n u m b er s o n th e cr eativ i ty sid e o f t h e d iv id e is g r o w i n g . F o r ex am p le ) tech n o lo g ica l in n o v atio n h as b r o u g h t in i ts w ak e n ew ar tis tic o p p o r tu n ities: Th e ex ist en ce o f th e I n ter n et h as sp aw n ed a n ew p r o f essio n o f d es ig n er s o f w e b site; S at ellite telev isio n h as m u ltip l ied th e d em a n d f o r p r o d u ctio n o f co n ten t; Ris in g d i sp o sab le in c o m es h av e cr eated a d em a n d f o r “d esi g n er g o o d s.” Tech n o lo g i es o f tr a v el an d tele v isio n h av e co n tr i b u ted to m ak in g Jap an th e lead i n g p r o d u cer o f n ew f ash i o n . A m o n g m an y, m an y o t h er ar eas o f g r eat er o p p o r tu n i ty f o r cr eat iv ity in w o r k th e N ex t G en er a tio n F o r u m a ttach e s th e g r eate st im p o r tan c e to t h e lea r n in g p r o f essio n s. O p p o r tu n ities ab o u n d f o r teach e r s at all le v els o f th e f o r m al ed u catio n sy ste m s to ex er ci se cr e ativ it y in d ev elo p in g n e w w ay s to w o r k . A n d alth o u g h th er e is m o v em en t in th e d ir ecti o n o f tak in g ad v an tag e o f th e se o p p o r tu n i ties t h e b ig g est a r ea f o r in n o v atio n in le ar n in g is in th e in f o r m al secto r : th e I n ter n et, co m p u ter - b a sed le ar n in g cen te r s, to y d es ig n er s , d ev e lo p er s o f ed u catio n al so f tw ar e h av e m u ltip lied t h e n u m b er o f p eo p le en g ag ed in su c h w o r k b y a f acto r th at m u st a lr ead y b e in th e h u n d r ed s an d is g r o w i n g ex p o n en ti ally. LIV IN G BY D E S IG N . Th e b u rg eo n in g o f cr ea tiv ity is b y n o m e an s co n f in ed to w o r k . I t is see n in t h e k it ch en : in p as t g en e r atio n s v ir t u ally all h o m em ak er s p r ep ar ed t h e f o o d th ey taste d at t h e tab le o f th eir p ar en ts; to d ay m illio n s ar e ex p er im en ti n g w it h co m b in atio n s o f tas tes th eir f o r b ear s n ev er im ag i n ed . I t is see n in C h u r ch e s w h er e co u p les cr eate t h eir o w n m ar r iag e cer em o n ie s. Mo s t sig n if ican tly it is se en in th e p r o f u sio n o f b elief sy stem s an d

w ay s o f l if e: i n cr eas in g ly p eo p le d ecid e f o r th em se lv es w h er e n o t lo n g ag o k in g s an d cu sto m s to ld t h em h o w to l iv e an d w h at to b el iev e,

Bu t n o b o d y en ti r ely l o ses t h e cr e ativ e in s t in ct . “Th e ch il d w ith in u s” m ay b e r ep r essed an d co n str ai n ed b u t alw a y s liv es o n . I t sh o w s it self i n h o b b ies, i n th e co n d u c t o f p er so n a l r el atio n s h ip s a n d p er h ap s m o st in ten sel y in t h e jo y p ar en ts f in d in th e cr eat iv ity o f th e ir ch i ld r en . N o b o d y is s o d u ll o f so u l as n ev er, n ev er to ex p er i en ce t h e ex h ilar at io n o f su cce ssf u l cr eati o n . Crea t ivity su rviv es th ro u g h o u t l ife b u t — u p to n o w — in a ro le th a t d im i n ish es with a g e.

D ES IG N IN G O N E’ S O LD A G E Th e co n tr ib u tio n to q u ality o f li f e m ad e b y n ew o p p o r tu n i ties t o liv e b y d es ig n is esp ec ially p r ecio u s in th e la ter y e ar s w h ich o n ce w er e liv e d so p r e d ictab ly. To d a y th e o p p o r t u n itie s to t r av el, to b e in to u ch w i th th e w o r ld ele ctr o n i cally an d ev en to b eg in n ew ca r eer s o p en e n d less p o ssi b iliti es f o r cr e ativ it y in d esig n i n g lif e.

The Politics of Creativity. Tw o sen ses o f th e p h r a se ar e b o th r elev a n t. P o litics w ith a b ig P is ab o u t th e r o l e o f c r eativ ity as a m aj o r iss u e o n th e n a tio n al an d i n ter n a tio n al scen e s. O n th e o t h er h a n d , p o litics w ith a sm al l p is w h at h ap p en s w h en a p la n to ch a n g e sc h o o l, f o r ex am p le r u n s i n to o p p o siti o n . N o t lo n g ag o cr eativ i ty w as th o u g h t to b e m o r e su i ted f o r d isc u ssio n b y ar t cr i tics a n d aca d em ic p sy ch o lo g ist s th an b y h e ad s o f state . Bu t w h en t h e P r i m e Min ister o f S in g ap o r e p r ese n ts th e f o st er in g o f cr e ativ it y as a p r im a r y n at io n al g o al a n d w h e n d isc u ssio n s ab o u t h o w to em u late t h e S il ico n Vall ey v o l can o o f cr ea tiv ity b eco m e k ey co n cer n s o f n atio n al p la n n er s, it is clear th a t cr ea tiv ity is co m in g c lo ser to cen ter st ag e in n atio n al an d in te r- n a tio n al aff ai r s, ta k in g i ts p la ce w it h m ili tar y, m o n etar y an d ter r it o r ial issu es . S u r ely th e cr ea tiv ity o f it s citi zen s w as alw ay s a f acto r in a co u n tr y ’ s su c cess e co n o m i cally, m ilita r ily a n d in o th er r esp ec ts. Bu t co n s id er at io n o f cr e ativ it y h as acq u ir ed a n ew to n e: w h e r e p r e v io u sl y it w as n o d o u b t a cau s e f o r b o ast in g an d r ejo icin g it w as n o t a cau se f o r t ak in g actio n , an d u rg en t act io n , t h at it h as n o w b ec o m e. I t in f l u en ced p o lit ics b u t w as n o t a p o liti cal iss u e. A s a p o li tical issu e it h as th e p o ten ti al to g en er a te p o l itical co n f l ict. A ct io n s t o p r o m o te cr eativ i ty w il l h av e r ep er cu ssio n s th a t w ill p leas e so m e

an d d isp l ease o th er s. F o r e x am p le , in s o m e co u n tr ie s sch o o l p o l icies ar e h ig h ly p o litici zed w i th th e co n se q u en ce th at attem p ts to m o d if y sch o o l p o l icies so as to g iv e h ig h er p r i o r ity to th e cu lti v atio n o f cr eativ i ty can r u n in t o co n f lict w ith p a r tisan p o lit ics. I t also r u n s in to c o n f lic t w ith co n ser v at iv e id eas in ed u ca tio n e stab li sh m en t s ab o u t th e r elati v e im p o r tan c e an d p r io r ity o f issu e s, w it h th e cu ltiv atio n o f cr e ativ it y o f te n b ein g ecli p sed b y th e te ach in g an d t estin g o f r o te sk i lls. Th e N G F w ill d o its b est to av o id p ar ti san p o litics . I ts co m m i tm en t to p ro m o tin g p ro - crea t ivity a ctio n s will ta ke th e fo rm o f d issem in a tin g kn o wled g e a b o u t su ch a ctio n s a n d en co u r a g in g vig o ro u s o p en d iscu ssio n o f th e issu e s.

Ed u catio n f o r c r eativ ity : C h an g e an d r e sistan ce to ch an g e , Th e g r o w i n g u se o f th e w o r d “cr ea tiv ity ” in t h e d is co u r se o f sc h o o ls r ef lec ts an d r ein f o r ces th e g e n er al sen se th at a p r o - c r eativ ity m o v em en t is u n d er w ay an d is w i d ely c o n sid e r ed to b e a g o o d t h in g . A t th e sa m e tim e sch o o ls ar e u n d er p r e ssu r e to d em o n str a te th e w o r th o f i n n o v at io n s b y q u an titati v e tes ts th a t w er e d esig n ed to m easu r e r o t e sk il ls m o r e th an cr eat iv ity. M an y ed u cato r s see e m p h asi s o n c r eativ ity as d elet er io u s to th e d ev e lo p m en t o f d is cip lin e an d sk ills . I t can n o t b e o v er- em p h asiz ed th a t a so ciety b ased o n cr e ativ it y m ay ch a llen g e f u n d a m en tal ed u ca tio n al co n ce p ts. I n a s lo w ly ch an g i n g so c iety s ch o o li n g can b e d e sig n ed to p r o v id e y o u th w ith t h e sk i lls th e y w ill n eed f o r th e jo b s th ey w ill d o . T h e g o a l co u ld b e to p ro d u ce cit izen s wh o ca n d o w h a t th ey were t a u g h t. I n a r ap id ly ch a n g in g so ciet y w h er e m o st p eo p l e ar e d o in g jo b s t h at w e r e n o t in v en ted w h en t h ey w e r e y o u n g a d iff er en t n e ed m ay b eco m e d ec isiv e: ci tizen s wh o c a n d o wh a t t h ey we re N O T ta u g h t. Th e N G F r eco g n i zes ar g u m en ts o n b o th sid es , b u t b elie v es th at th e d ilem m a can b e r e so lv ed b y d e v elo p i n g u n d er stan d in g s o f cr e ativ it y th at su p p o r t an d ev e n en h a n ce th e d ev e lo p m en t o f s k ills, d eep co n cep tu al k n o w led g e an d d is cip lin e. I t also r eco g n izes t h at th e p r o b lem h a s n o e asy so lu tio n an d i s co m m itted to m o b ilizi n g r es o u r ces to h e lp sch o o ls, teach e r s an d ed u ca tio n r es ear ch e r s w h o ar e a ttem p t in g to f ace it. Th e N G F ’ s m o s t p o w e r f u l a n d u n i q u e co n tr ib u tio n w ill co m e th r o u g h c r eatin g d ial o g b et w een sta keh o ld ers in crea t ivity w h o seld o m ex c h an g e id eas. F o r ex am p l e: F ew ed u ca to r s a r e f u l ly aw a r e o f th e p o w er o f th e c r eativ ity m o v em en t in in d u str y an d ev en f ew er d e ep ly u n d er st an d s th e ed u catio n al n ee d s it cr eate s. A t th e sa m e tim e, f ew in d u s tr y le ad er s ar e aw ar e o f th e m o st ad v an ced p r o - cr ea tiv ity actio n s in sch o o l s. Th e r es u lt is th at in d u st r y lea d er s — ev en th o se w h o co n tr ib u te to su p p o r tin g im p r o v em en t in e d u cati o n — d o n o t p u t th e f u ll p o w er o f th e ir en d o r sem e n t b eh in d th e m o st p r o - c r eativ e ed u c atio n a l in i tiativ es. A n d th e p r o - cr e ativ e p r o jec ts in ed u cat io n d o n o t d r aw o n w h a t th ey co u ld lear n b y a clo ser an aly sis o f w h at is d ev elo p in g in in d u str y. S im ilar ly p ar en ts ar e in cr e asin g l y acti v e in seek in g th e b est w ay s to

en h an ce h o m e- le ar n in g b u t h av e n o ch an n el to d r aw i d eas a n d r es o lv e f r o m th e d ev e lo p m en t o f c r eativ ity in in d u s tr y an d els ew h er e .

Our Action: The Culture of Creativity. A G u id in g Co n cep t: Th e Cu ltu r e o f Cr eati v ity. O u r ap p r o ach to actio n is b ased o n th e co n cep t o f a “cu lt u r e o f cr eat iv ity.” Th i s r ef e r s to h o w p e o p le th in k ab o u t an d ta lk ab o u t cr e ativ it y, t h e v al u e th e y g iv e it, t h eir c u sto m s an d p r actic es ass o ciate d w ith it, th e jo k es th ey m ak e ab o u t it. T h e to p p rio rit y fo r th e NG F is i n flu en cin g t h is cu ltu re. S o m e cr u c ial ex am p les o f cu ltu r al f eatu r es w i ll b r i n g o u t w h at w e m ea n b y th i s co n c ep t. To g iv e f o cu s to o u r i n ten d e d u se o f it in g u i d in g p o licie s w e ch o o se f e atu r es o f “f am ily cr eati v ity c u ltu r e .” Th e in ter - co n n ecti o n s b et w een t h ese f eatu r e s w ill also b r in g o u t w h y th e N G F p o licies ar e b ased o n a h o li stic a p p r o ac h to t h e cu l tu r e a s m o r e th an ju st t h e su m o f th e in d iv id u a l issu es.

Th e cen tr ality o f cr e ativ it y. Ma n y p ar en ts a n d m an y ed u c ato r s see ch ild r en ’ s cr eati v ity a s a “g o o d th in g ” b u t sep ar ate f r o m w h a t is “ r eally im p o r tan t” f o r th e ch il d r en ’ s f u tu r e. Th u s m an y sch o o ls tr eat p r o g r am s f o r t h e d ev elo p m e n t o f cr eati v ity as d isp en sab le; w h en f u n d s ar e sh o r t th ese ar e th e f ir st to g o . Man y p ar e n ts se ek in g ed u cat io n al so f tw a r e th a t w ill ad v an ce th e ir ch i ld r en ’ s lear n in g i g n o r e “cr eat iv ity ” p r o g r am s in f av o r o f “sk ill d ev el o p m en t ” so f t w ar e. Th e sco p e o f cr eativ i ty. Ma n y p ar en ts a n d ed u cato r s th in k o f cr e ativ it y o n ly in r e latio n to “ th e ar ts.” Th e y d o n o t see “th e sci en ces” as cr eativ e . A n d if th ey r ec o g n ize elem e n ts o f cr e ativ it y in t h eir o w n f am ily li f e ( f o r ex am p le b y co m p lim en tin g m o th er f o r se r v in g a “cr e ativ e d eser t ”) th e y see th is see i t as a lesse r k in d o f cr eativ i ty. Th e v alu e o f cr eativ i ty. I n m an y f am ili es d is cu ssio n s o f car eer s ( f o r th e ch il d r en “ w h en t h ey g r o w u p ” an d f o r th e ad u lts w h en th e y m ig h t th in k ab o u t ch an g in g j o b s) d o n o t in c lu d e “ o p p o r t u n ity f o r cr eativ i ty ” as a cr i ter io n to g et h er w it h th e m o r e o b v io u s issu e s o f i n co m e an d se cu r ity. Th e sam e b ias sh o w s in m u sical ed u cat io n w h er e ex p ectat io n s r ep r o d u ct io n s f o r ch ild r en d o n o t in cl u d e co m p o sit io n o r im p r o v isa tio n o r ev en cr eat iv e in ter p r e tatio n s. A p p r eciat io n o f ch ild r en ’ s cr eat iv ity . P ar en ts w h o p r aise o r ev e n b o as t ab o u t th e cr eati v e d o i n g s o f th eir ch ild r en d o n o t alw ay s ap p r ecia te th a t w h at th e c h ild d id w as im p r e ssiv e n o t ju s t “f o r a ch i ld ” b u t o n a n y sta n d ar d s .

Cel eb r ati n g th e “ch il d w ith in u s. ” I n m o st f am ili es m o r e v al u e is attach ed to ch ild r en b eh av in g “lik e a g r o w n - u p ” th an to g r o w n - u p s sh o w in g th e sp o n tan e o u s en th u sia stic c r eativ ity o f ch ild r en . I t is a sig n if ican t r ef lec tio n o f th e p r ev ai lin g cu l tu r e t h at “c h ild is h ” h as co m e to acq u ir e a n alm o st co m p letel y n eg a tiv e c o n n o ta tio n . Cr e atin g th e Cu ltu r e o f Cr e ativ it y .

S tr ictly sp eak i n g it w o u ld b e h o p elessl y ar r o g an t t o th in k ab o u t crea t in g a cu l tu r e a ll b y o u r sel v es. B u t it is n o t ar r o g an t to r eco g n ize t h e g r o w th o f a n ew cu ltu r e o f cr eati v ity. Crea t ivity is “ in th e a ir” . N o r is i t at a ll ar r o g an t to r ec o g n ize th at th is g r o w th co u ld b e f ac ilitat ed sig n if ica n tly a n d to d esig n str at eg ies f o r d o in g so . Th e k ey e lem en t o f o u r str a teg y i s in h e r en t i n cr ea tin g a n o rg an izatio n — o u r N G F — to m a r k th e r eco g n itio n o f tr en d s i n th e w o r ld as f ac ets o f a cu l tu r al p h en o m en o n . I ts f i r st g o al is to h el p th is cu ltu r e ach iev e g r eater sel f - co n s cio u sn ess. I t w ill d o th is b y co n tr i b u tin g to co m m u n it y - b u il d in g , to co m m u n ica tio n b etw een p eo p l e w h o ar e p a r t o f th e m o v em en t b u t d o n o t tal k to e ach o t h er. Th e N G F w ill b e a f o r u m , a m eetin g p lace ( v ir tu a l as w el l as p h y sica l) f o r ex ch a n g e o f id eas , ex p e r ien ce s an d d r eam s . We a r e su r e th at m o r e w ill h ap p en th an “ ex ch an g e.” Th i s w ill b e crea t ive exc h a n g e. W h e n id ea s m eet in th e r ig h t k in d o f se ttin g th ey g iv e r i se to n ew id eas . W h e n p eo p le t r y to talk t o o th e r s f r o m d iff er en t b a ck g r o u n d s th e y d ev e lo p n e w w ay s o f ta lk in g . Th i s is t h e k in d o f d ev elo p m en t t h at m ak es f o r g r o w t h o f a cu ltu r e: th e d ev e lo p m en t o f w ay s o f th in k in g , w ay s o f tal k in g a n d w ay s o f l iv in g .

C O N C LU D IN G R EM A R K S

W h a t m ak e s th e N G F v i sio n m o r e th an a u to p ian d r eam is th e f act th at th e co n f lict b etw ee n w o r k an d c r eativ ity is alr ea d y d im in ish i n g . T h e NG F rid es o n a m o ve m en t t h a t is d rive n b y p o werfu l eco n o m ic a n d so c ia l fo rces . Th e tech n o lo g y r ev o lu tio n s: Th e ear ly i n d u str ial r e v o lu ti o n o p e n ed th e d o o r s o f cr eativ i ty f o r a sm a ll n u m b er o f in v en to r s a n d en t r ep r en eu r s b u t co n d em n ed f ar l arg er n u m b e r s to th e r e p etiti v e w o r k o n a ssem b l y lin e s an d in sw e at sh o p s. Bu t b ef o r e th e en d o f th e tw e n tieth cen tu r y th e n u m b e r o f p eo p le d o in g cr eati v e w o r k b eg a n to so a r an d is r is in g ex p o n en t ially. T h e o p p o r tu n ity to b e crea t ive in wo rk is o n l y o n e p a rt o f th e visio n ; b u t it is p a rt th a t c a n p o w erfu ll y in fl u en ce th e wh o le. Th e p eo p l e b eh i n d th e tech n o lo g y : Th e o b v io u s sid e o f th e tech sci en tif i c ev o lu tio n is th e p r o f u sio n o f d ev ices a n d o th er sci en tif i c

ap p licati o n s. Bu t w h at is m o r e s ig n if i can t t h an w h at th e se in n o v atio n s m ea n f o r th eir u ser s is w h a t th ey m ean f o r th e p eo p le en g ag ed i n in v e n tin g th em . Th e r e h av e alw a y s b ee n in v en tio n s an d in v en to r s . W h a t is n ew is th at i n v en ti o n h as cease d to b e so m e th in g d o n e o cca sio n al ly b y iso lat ed in d iv id u a ls. I t h as b eco m e an in d u str ia l acti v ity e m p lo y i n g m il lio n s o f p eo p le in th e R & D d ep ar tm en ts an d lab o r ato r ie s o f c o r p o r a tio n s w h ich h av e i n v este d m o n ey in th e ex p ectat io n o f a sta tistic ally p r ed ict ed r at e o f c r eatio n o f n ew id eas. Wo r k f o r t h ese p eo p le h as b e co m e s o m eth i n g v er y d if f er en t f r o m th e r ep et itiv e lab o r o f th e assem b ly li n e. T h e ir jo b is crea t ivity.

Th e p eo p l e b eh i n d th e cr eat o r s. P eo p le cap ab l e o f c r eativ ity w o r k d o n o t d r o p f r o m t h e sk y. To s ee w h e r e th e y co m e f r o m , an d t o en su r e th e ir f u t u r e su p p ly, w e lo o k at th e ch il d r en p r actic in g cr eativ i ty in th e ir p la y, w e lo o k at p a r en ts w h o lo v e th e ch ild r en an d w an t to se e th e m d ev e lo p , w e lo o k at t each er s, w e lo o k a t r ele v an t i n d u str ies in c lu d in g p u b l ish in g , to y an d g a m e m ak in g an d th e en ter t ain m en t. A ll th ese an d m o r e in f lu en c e th e d ev elo p m en t o f cr e ativ it y an d g iv e it co m p le x ity. Th e in f lu en ce o f each sep ar ately h as b e en stu d ied an d p o n d er ed b y r es ear ch e r s an d b y ac tiv ist s. T h e NG F o ccu p ie s a sp e cia l n ich e b y seek in g a m o re i n clu si ve a p p ro a c h . I t will w o rk b y est a b lish in g ex ch a n g e a n d d ia lo g b etwee n th e m a n y p a rties – th e sta keh o ld ers in crea t ivity.. I t sh a res with t h e a ct ivis ts th e d esi re t o ch a n g e th e wo rl d . I t sh a res with t h e rese a rch e rs th e d esire t o fo rg e co n cep ts a n d m a ke co n n ectio n s. I t s d ist in ctiv e wa y o f p u t tin g t h ese to g eth er is exp ress ed b y th e g o a l o f fo ster in g th e g ro wt h o f a cu l tu re—a p o p u l a r cu l tu re. T h e NG F see ks to ch a n g e th e w o rld b y h el p in g p eo p le ch a n g e th e w a y th e y th in k a b o u t crea t ivity.