I had a college professor who always talked about originality. Before every quiz and exam he would tell us that he was looking for a synthesis of new ideas. He told us not to regurgitate his lectures. “I know the material I’m lecturing about,” he would say. “I want to hear your spin on it.” …
Tag Archive: creativity
The Genius of Dr. Dre
In 2012, Dr. Dre was the highest grossing musician in the world. It’s an impressive feat for someone who first became popular in the early 1990s. Dre first appeared in a music scene dominated by the likes of MC Hammer, but unlike Hammer, Dr. Dre has remained popular for years. He did so through his …
Creativity and Compromise
We generally think of creativity as something that should never be compromised. There’s a kernel of truth to this, as many good idea have been squashed and perverted by faceless bureaucrats. Likewise, trying to draft original ideas in a committee is a recipe for frustration and gridlock. And yet, creativity is sometimes improved by give …
Episode 2: Who Owns Star Wars?
Just a couple weeks ago, I made the argument that George Lucas doesn’t own Star Wars. My argument was that, while he retained the legal rights to the sci-fi franchise, he had lost creative control in the minds of millions of fans. Interestingly enough, Lucas seems to agree. A few days ago, he sold LucasFilm, …
Ode to This Old House
I’ve been a fan of This Old House since I was a little kid. I liked it do much that my grandpa suggested I go into heating and cooking. Unfortunately, I couldn’t hammer a nail straight to save my life. But I still like the show. Unlike so many other shows on television, (I’m looking …
Loading tweets...