[ISTJ] Creativity

[Cimarron]

This came up somewhere else on the forum, so I thought I'd focus on it.

Is there anybody else here who knows and admits (has come to terms with) lacking creativity and originality? From personal experience, I know I'm horrible at coming up with new ideas, but love picking apart other people's ideas. If you want an optimistic note, I think of it as being the gardener who trims the hedges, as opposed to the one planting them.

So is it just me?

 

[MEC]

This came up somewhere else on the forum, so I thought I'd focus on it.

Is there anybody else here who knows and admits (has come to terms with) lacking creativity and originality? From personal experience, I know I'm horrible at coming up with new ideas, but love picking apart other people's ideas. If you want an optimistic note, I think of it as being the gardener who trims the hedges, as opposed to the one planting them.

So is it just me?

No I am not creative either when I was kid I would copy things that was as close to drawing that I got.I don't play a instrument or tell imaginative stories either.

 

[Bella]

I took art class in school but if wasn't for the theory side of it, I would've failed so badly. My art was horrendous - ...oh ...wait...you couldn't actually call it art.

 

[Cimarron]

When I was a kid I traced maps. I thought about becoming a mapmaker.

But this is difficult when it comes to music. I can understand the relationships between the notes and chords really well, so people think I'm a good musician. But I'm not a creative musician. When my friends ask me to pick up the instrument and just "make something up", I draw a blank. Because I'm a good player, they think I'm holding out on them, or being lazy or stubborn or something. But I'm not, it's that I can't think of anything out of the blue, so I usually end up putting together pieces of stuff I've heard before. It just doesn't feel "artistic", though.

I'm just trying to show an example of what I mean. Weird, though, that everyone agreed; I didn't think that would happen...

 

[Bella]

What do you play?

 

[Cimarron]

Well, I'm talking specifically about bass guitar, where my best friend plays guitar with me. When he asks me to figure out how to play a song on the radio, I get to work on it, and it's a fun project. Then we end up learning how to play it together.

But it also applies to trombone in the school jazz band, when I have to make improvised solos on the spot! I really just put together pieces of things I've already heard...at least, that's how it's planned out in my head, until I start playing.

 

[Bella]

Oh wow...I have every intention in the world of buying a violin, although I cannot read a single note of music. For real. I'm actually saving up for it.

 

[Cimarron]

Violin is cool, has a very nice sound. And usually plays the melody, so it's kind of the center-of-attention.

 

[Bella]

Oh, I didn't realize that.

 

[Cimarron]

"If you play in a group", I should have added. Wasn't trying to scare you. But then any instrument is going to be the center-of-attention when playing alone.

Anyway, the topic for this thread was kind of pessimistic. It could probably also be only loosely related to type, which is why I was just kind of curious to see whether, by coincidence, most people would agree with me. Weird results: so far we've all agreed.

 

[Recoleta]

Hmmm, I've been going back and forth about this topic in my mind trying to figure out if I think of myself as creative or not.

Cimarron, I can relate to what you said about instruments. I played the piano for many years, and although I was a technically good player I did not create my own music, nor could I spontaneously put something together.

However, I did always really enjoy art class and playing with color, and drawing and stuff...and I do like abstract art. Not to say that I was ever fantastic at art, but it is something I still enjoy. I did some sculpting (with clay) too...which was lots of fun.

In the sense that ISTJ's often have dry/sarcastic wit about them, I think that takes some sort of mental creativity. A well-placed punchline or comeback takes quickness and the ability to play with words. To me, that is creativity.

 

[ArbiterDewey]

As far as creativity goes I am unsure. I am a Dungeon Master for Dungeons & Dungeons and have to come up with elaborate plots and fun combat encounters, and so forth; but nothing I come up with is original. I simply "change" something that was pre-existing, or sometimes use it directly, especially if it's obscure.

For example: I stole the character voice directly from a video game noone in the party had played for the first Dwarf NPC (while Roleplaying, I do voices.) The abandoned mines in the first and second sessions were stolen from Shining the Holy Ark (because of three players dropping out, there wasn't the large pit that everyone falls into at the end.)

Also, a lot of the time I'll read a book (which I read a lot of) and, because my friends rarely read the books I do, they'd never guess I stole a plot device or say an Island Kingdom (current campaign, lol.)

It simply comes off as original/creative.

 

[Cimarron]

Yeah, something I should have realized at the start is that "creativity/artistic ability" obviously can't be pinned down the way I'm trying to do it here. If Intuition is tied to "creativity", then why are SPs deemed "Artisans"? I don't really trust the temperaments grouping, but there are SPs who honestly consider themselves artistic and creative, so that kind of destroys my idea right there.

Cool, though, thanks for these responses! It looks like there may be some kind of connection...

...but nothing I come up with is original. I simply "change" something that was pre-existing, or sometimes use it directly, especially if it's obscure.

It simply comes off as original/creative.

In terms of "functions", do you think this trend could be Si?

 

[Cimarron]

From another thread:

I voted for Low Intelligence - High Creativity because I am more swayed by a creative idea than logical possibility (logic also has a way of changing). I believe that the most random, frivolous, and pointless inspirations at any given time could end up being useful in the future in one form or another.

Personally, it feels more rewarding to come up with a random idea than it does to uncover a truth through analysis.

I can't identify with that at all. I believe that random, frivolous, pointless inspirations are frivolous and pointless. They may be useful, but they don't seem reliable as a factual thing--unless validated afterwards by logic.
And it feels so much more rewarding to me to systematically analyze something and uncover the truth at the bottom of it, than to just find a random idea. But I guess those are our differences, it's not meant as a criticism at all. It's my expression of wonderment at a certain viewpoint, that's all.

 

[bbites]

I'm totally uncreative and untalented lol. This is actually a pressing issue for me right now because I have to do a demonstration speech for Speech class (shocking, right? ) and I don't know how to do anything lol. I've pretty much decided on meditation but I don't expect a great grade.

 

[swordpath]

I'm really uncreative too. haha. I can't draw a stick figure to save my life. Arts and Crafts? Can I cut a piece of paper into a square and throw some glitter on it? I used to want to draw a picture of a horse exactly like it appeared in a magazine and I got frustrated and cried to my mom. lolz

 

[Anna212]

I somehow got into a position at work which requires some degree of creativity. I am incapable of coming up with one original idea, so I usually just look to see what has been done in the past by other companies, and then just edit it to meet my company's needs.

However, I am awesome at pointing out flaws in others' plans... which they just love, I am sure.

 

[Chris_in_Orbit]

I don't know why SJs couldn't be creative. Even if you aren't, your strengths definitely make up for it.

 

[Cimarron]

I know, and yet it seems that most of us think we aren't creative. Hopefully not because we're told so and it just sinks in over time, but that could be affecting our answers.

Just looking for individual responses.

 

[Cimarron]

True, Spirilis, and that's pretty much what my music teacher always used to say about music: it's all been done before, the creativity is in how you put it together this time. Your interpretation of it.

But for me the thing that stands out the most is my inability to just make something up spontaneously...well, actually I'm working on it. Maybe with effort and experience, I'll build up to it eventually.