Thursday, September 08, 2005

Creativity and Insanity

Okay, it's official - Fine Line Revealed Between Creativity and Insanity


History suggests that the line between creativity and madness is a fine one, but a small group of people known as schizotypes are able to walk it with few problems and even benefit from it.

A new study confirms that their enhanced creativity may come from using more of the right side of the brain than the rest of us.
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"They’re not abnormal, they live normal lives but they often have idiosyncratic ways of thinking. Certain things may have special meaning for them or they may be more spiritually attuned."
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Folley speculates that what may be happening is that schizotypes may either have more access to the right hemisphere than the average population or there may be more efficient communication between the two hemispheres.

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18 comments:

"ME" Liz Strauss said...

Gosh Melly,
Thank you. All of this time I thought my schizoform disorder was a liability. (teehee)

Seriously, if you want a great read on the contradictions of Creativity you should read the book Creativity by the guy who discovered the concept of flow Mihaly Cz...mihaly (insert long Russian name there.

Great post. I find all of that information important fodder for a writer. It does so much to make our characters more interesting.

Melly said...

Alas, while I often feel idiosyncratic, I hardly ever feel creative (except on a good 2,000+ word day), so I don't think I count as one who walks that fine line.

Thanks, Liz and happy to give you helpful material. That's a symbiotic thing we have here :)

Patry Francis said...

Interesting post, Melly. Just found you on blogexplosion and thought I had discovered a new favorite blog. Then I realized it was just one of my old favorites in a new context!

Melly said...

Hey Patry, thanks. It's good to see you no matter where you come from :)

Anonymous said...

People often say you'd have to be mad to try and make a living as a writer. Maybe there's something in that.

Anonymous said...

By description everyone says architects are a little crazy (and unfortunately I have to say it's true...no sane person choses this professions)...so does that mean I qualify for the 'slightly crazy' category??

Melly said...

Lee, you bet you!

Jennifer, not only are you an artichect, but you're a writer too, so I'm not so sure about the slightly part, only about the crazy part :)

In fact, I think you guys are all nuts...
But only slightly ;)

Anonymous said...

Why thank you!

Anonymous said...

Sigh...guess I can't argue with you there! It's official I'm crazy :) Good thing I've come to terms with it!

Melly said...

Any time, Lee.

Melly said...

Ouch, Carter, my stomach hurts from laughing. You killing me.

Wait, which one of you am I talking to?

Melly said...

That's the first step, Jennifer :)

"ME" Liz Strauss said...

Let's see . . . what was that Richard Bach quote I'm thinking of. OH yeah,
"Argue for your limitations and they are yours."

"I like that one. Have no idea how that applies here," she said innocently.

Melly you are fllled with creativity. I see it in your writing, in the topics you choose, in your comments on other blogs, in the way you market your own blog.

I'm learning from you.

smiles,
me-Liz

Melly said...

Blush. Oh, my.

Like I said, we have a symbiotic thing here, and I like it :)

Pat Kirby said...

Everyone is always jealous because the voices in my head only talk to me. Bwah-ha-ha!

Absolutely no question that I am bat-sh*t crazy. Never doubted it for a moment. I also run with scissors.

[Heading off to cut off ear.]

Melly said...

Yay! Someone. Finally. Commented on my pics.
And it took me so long to put them up... and then no one said anything and...
Whine.

Hey, careful with those scissors, Pat.

Melly said...

Carters, love your comments :D

Moon Maiden said...

Thank goodness i found this blog..I was mesmerized by the wide variety of topics you chose to write upon and i instantly bookmarked it. Being a content writer i earn my living through writing, but your blog just made my day..it reminded me to write for a higher self..for myself! I will read a post a day...to keep my inspirations and love for written words alive. Thanks endlessly Melly