There are far too many assumptions about what human nature ought to be and not enough research into what it is. Take the assumption that creative work can be undertaken only in the realm of vision. We speak of creative "artists" in music, painting, and the other arts. We seemingly limit the creative functions to productions that may be hung on gallery walls, or played in concert halls, or otherwise displayed where idle and fastidious people gather to admire each other's culture. But if a man wants a field for vital creative work, let him come where he is dealing with higher laws than those of sound, or line, or colour; let him come where he may deal with the laws of personality.
That's the industrialist I know and love -- productivity over "admiring each other's culture". Love that quote.
Although I appreciate the sentiment, I don't agree that fine arts are limited to the realm of idle and fastidious culture admirers. Even when intended solely for amusement, the fine arts can have serious utility. I dare say there is not a single person who would not benefit culturally, spiritually, financially from an added dose of that fuzzy concept we call "creativity".
An example of creativity's utility is my experience with Trout Fishing in America, a book in which Richard Brautigan defies all conventions in what seems to be a mission to amuse himself with language. I praise DELL PUBLISHING CO., INC. for taking a chance on this book and allowing the minds and imaginations of a few lucky readers to be taken to places they have never before experienced. An added benefit of the arts is the sense of awe and inspiration one feels witnessing the capacity for human aesthetic and creative expression.
Where I do agree with Ford is this: There is an optimal level of fine art exposure. If you spend all your time admiring other's culture, you will soon grow bored. And idle and fastidious. And poor. Because our lives are so interconnected I do feel compelled to do more than amuse myself -- to be productive. But that is a philosophical topic for another day.
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Henry Ford on experts and impossibility
