Technology kills Creativity
View
- Mohana Gopinath
The predominance of technology in every aspect of our lives suggests that our creativity is being killed by our reliance on these tools.
Some might argue that the advent of technology has only served to increase or improve our creativity, because of the various platforms it has thrown open for the sharing of content, as well as to gain inspiration. But to dispute this, one only needs to look at a dictionary where Creativity is defined as “The use of imagination or original ideas to create something.”
If creativity involves imagination and original ideas, technology is most definitely killing it.
While arguments can swing both ways, I would like to focus on three main aspects to further my view – that technology does kill creativity.
Let us start by revisiting our childhood – the toys we played with came in a multitude of colours, shapes and sizes. They had different textures and made different sounds. Some were even scented! All this was not without reason. It has been proven that the stimulation of all the senses – visual, auditory, olfactory, and tactile - during a child’s playtime enhances their creative capacity. With children now being exposed to devices that stimulate mainly hand-eye coordination in their formative years, levels in creativity have seen a steep decline.
Another major way in which technology is inhibiting the creativity of people is Plagiarism. With a world of information available in an instant, it is very hard not to copy existing content. It must be noted that plagiarism affects creative content in two ways.
First, it affects the creative ability of those who plagiarise information. Why would someone put in the time and effort to create something original if it was available at the click of a button?
Then, it also affects the creativity of those who make all this content available to others. Why would one make original content available to others, if they could plagiarise it with absolutely no consequences?
My third strong argument for technology killing creativity is that people who always have their heads in their phones, tablets or laptops, do not participate in imaginative activities that help promote creativity.
We need to daydream to boost our creativity, but if we are spending any possible free time scrolling through newsfeeds on some social media platform, we are inhibiting that daydream time. Creativity is often described as a “Use it or lose it” ability. Therefore, even if one is working in a creative job role, they could be strangling their creative talents by being constantly connected to a device.
So let us all actively try to disconnect from our numerous devices and try to bring some creativity back into our lives.
Counter view
- Sharbari Chowdhuri
The sword we wield in a dangerous situation when logic shall not prevail, Creativity is a way of baring our very soul to the world. Our creativity shows our inventiveness and ability to use our imagination to bring to reality our various dreams. There is not a person in this world without creativity - there are just those who are yet to find it in them. And one of the most powerful ways to expose this hidden skill within us in today’s modern society is using technology.
I believe technology should not be considered a threat to creativity, but rather a potential platform to highlight one’s creative ability. Justin Bieber found his ticket to stardom at the tender age of thirteen through YouTube and become a singing sensation and billionaire by the age of 19. Malala Yousufzai, a young educational activist who found wide appeal for her blogs on girls’ education in Pakistan. Today she is the youngest ambassador of peace for the UN.
Modern technology has also helped bring to light the various talents people possess. There are various sites where people can post their stories and receive appreciation as well as criticism from their readers. People who have a certain passion or just wish to share their inner thoughts and feelings can create blogs. YouTube is a popular forum for sharing tutorials on various subjects ranging from cooking, to arts and crafts, to hairstyles. The internet gives people the platform to broadcast their videography and photography skills worldwide as well. It also helps bring to light various social issues like racism, sexism, and homophobia through powerful messages on social media. This allows people to express their true opinion and abolish such beliefs.
Graphics, animation, video editing, music production, DJ systems, and simulation software are newer more sophisticated ways of refining our art. Even the skill of creating video games and animation helps enhance our creativity and requires the use of original imagination. the use of video and audio tools in a classroom also helps develop a students’ creative ability. In an organisation, video conferences with people in different places working on the same project helps the flow of creativity increase and makes the work more innovative and efficient, thereby able to survive in today’s ruthless and competitive world. The modern world of marketing also helped develop creativity as the way the products are being advertised is dynamic and changes with changes in consumer trends.
It should be noted that creativity is a fundamental part of human behaviour and can be seen in every aspect of human history ranging from cave paintings to creation of cartoons. We can use modern technology to help propagate this creative flair within us and help improve the world overall.
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