philosophy-judo

[purvision]

An underlying motive for some creative people may be subconscious fear that the entire world is trying to to eliminate them... with indifference. Creativity, from that perspective, would be essentially an existential defense-mechanism.

hmmmmmmm...

Comments

[coppervale]

My childhood mentor was a philosophy professor who waxed eloquent while we played chess, drank Vernor's Ginger Ale, and listened to Barry Manilow albums.

He wrote a book-length essay once postulating that all philosophy can be summed up in two questions:

Am I important?

and

Can I survive?

So I was just thinking that your theory works out - even if it's a CONSCIOUS fear.

[purvision]

Yah. What I'm wondering here is if it boils down to the one question: Can I survive unimportance? And if the anser is, 'Well, I dunno,' you start looking around for stuff to keep yourself alive with, even in just an existential sense.

Might not be importance on a cultural scale, just enough value to make you feel like the world's time and resources weren't wasted on your day.