Who Killed The Creativity And Imagination?

In a generation that is hooked on video games, cells phones and laptops, it’s no wonder why we lack the creativity and the imagination of other generations. It starts from the time of being an infant to early childhood. The toys children play with leave nothing for the imagination to pick up on. Toys nowadays not only talk; they interact with children as well. Don’t get me wrong; I think this is great for children to build communication skills, however I believe that other toys should allow children to be creative and use their imagination. Creativity, imagination, and common sense are all skills that are becoming rare and hard to find.

Most of these skills are disappearing due to technology. Technology has stripped these skills from majority of the population and has even changed social norms. If you don’t believe me next time you go out to eat do a little bit of people watching and you will see a young couple both on their phones, not interacting with each other or friends doing the same. Emailing and texting have turned many people into introverts. While working on a campaign with a famous rapper I tried on several occasions to communicate on the phone instead of texting back and forth. I was surprised to get a text message telling me he was an introvert and that he would rather communicate through text. This came as a shock to me due to how poetic and well versed in language he was.

Technology is a powerful tool that can be useful, yet at times disruptive to the culture at hand and even in the business industry. The music industry has seen the power of technology cripple and transform this industry, as we know it. Napster was a powerful platform that allowed peers to download without paying a single cent. Even now streaming has killed its competition by setting no limits on the content that viewers listen to at the price of free.

When people implement technology they need to think about the outcomes. While some outcomes can be positive, others maybe adverse. I commonly hear older people complain about the younger generation that seem to be obsessed with cell phones and video games. However, it’s hard to blame a generation that had fewer opportunities than the generations before them. For example, music, art, and drama programs have been cut from the education budget. Towns and cities no longer have the budget to fund after school activities. It’s no wonder why this generation lacks creativity, imagination, and common sense. You can’t value the things you do not see in your every day life. It’s no wonder why the music industry has a hard time finding new talent that thrives with longevity. We remake everything there is no originality. They have remade classics like Annie, Grease, The Sound of Music, The Wiz, and are in the process of remaking The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Where is the originality? Where is the imagination? There are some great nonprofit organizations that that do help fund music and art programs. One of the most recognized is Save the Music Foundation. Despite whatever age you are we need to encourage, motivate, and challenge the younger generations. After all they are our future.

Who Killed The Creativity And Imagination?