Why You Should Keep Creating
What Does it Mean to Create Something?
Creating something means making a physical object, but even if it's not your best work, or it barely meets others' standards, you still love your creation nonetheless. And even when you don't love it, many of us hold onto old pieces for years. Why is that? You wouldn't buy someone else's art if it wasn't perfect, so what makes your own different? Why do we cling to these imperfect creations? The answer lies in the fact that our art is more than just an object—it's a memory, a piece of our personal journey, and that gives it an intrinsic value.
Creating is Inherently Valuable
People have of their own reasons for holding onto imperfect art, but the biggest, I believe, is that you want to hold on to the memory of creating it. You love it because it came from your own mind and hands. You've thought this piece through from a simple concept sketch to the finished product. You struggled, you learned, and your art is the spoils of going to war! The act of creating, within itself, is intrinsically valuable. Every piece is the essence of many hours of disciplined practice and self expression.
Creating is More Important Than the Art Created From it, But Does it Still Have Value Outside of Ourselves?
If you've heard the phrase "starving artist" you've also come to the fair assumption that art, in general, is not valued in this day and age. Job markets like engineering, finance, science, and law tend to be the areas we are encouraged to pursue. All of these, as a creative, sound like a perfect place to go to if you want your soul to die a slow, painful death. If our society doesn't value expressing inner expression of your vibrant souls, then what is the point of creating? It seems like the joy of creation only exists in your own, small world.
However, art gives you the great insight to cultures and past civilizations. As a creative, you're probably a curious person. I know I have fantasized of going to ancient civilizations like Rome and Greece yearning to be completely immersed in their civilization. Our greatest glimpses into these cultures have been through their art. We know what clothes they wore, what gods they worshipped, what they valued because we have art to document all of that. Art has been a historians best friend when it comes to uncovering the mysteries of the past.
Your art is important to create because it gives insight into your culture. Who knows? Maybe a historian will be looking at it one day!
Your art has Real World Applications
You might be thinking that things like the sciences are still more valuable than art because those things contribute to society in a direct and beneficial way. After all, your art isn't life saving medical technology. It doesn't have any real world applications.
Oh my friend, how wrong you are! Art, more broadly, aesthetics, are a dangerous weapon in modern society! Say hello to the world of marketing. A place where aesthetics dictate what you buy, what you wear, and who you are.
Companies are savvy with finding their target audience to market their product to. They have a profile of their customer's based on their political beliefs, the food they eat, their values, their marital status, everything. This enables them to come up with a base for the their marketing so they know their product will be bought by the people that will benefit from it the most.
Which is great, right? Who doesn't want to live in a world where the products you want just come to you? These days, companies have taken this too far with the gross amount of overconsumption of physical goods as well as online content.
We are in the age of gluttony, the faster our cars, the bigger our houses, the more stuff we buy, the better!
These symbols of wealth exist so we can wear and flaunt the illusion of freedom. In reality, there is someone at the top of a company that benefits from manipulating you into buying more.
What does this have to do with art? These companies need talented, creative people to create the best, most fresh, most aesthetic ad campaigns and branding in order to snag their target audience. There is a reason why propaganda is so heavily used by governments. The more you see the same product over and over in a beautifully done ad or video, the more the viewer wants to buy it. It gets embedded in your subconscious. Aesthetics lead to money, which leads to power, and ultimately leads to a certain control over the people who valued that aesthetic in the first place.
Creating is An Act of Rebellion
As a creative though, you don't seek control or power, you seek authenticity. That is why your art is so important, it allows you to express the human experience from the most unique point of view, your own. The art you create is art that no one else in the world can replicate, untainted from corporate greed.
There is no one else in the world that has the same life experience, outlook, values, and thoughts as you. Your little microcosm deserves to be shared! To express yourself through your art is an act of rebellion against a world of manufactured connivence and greed. There are people out there who are just waiting to enjoy your creations, they just don’t know it yet!
At its core, creation is more than just making something—it’s an expression of who you are, a reflection of your experiences, thoughts, and dreams. While society often values practical careers over artistic pursuits, the truth is, art holds a power that goes beyond itself. Whether it’s a sketch, a song, or a photograph, your art isn’t just a product—it’s a snapshot of your journey, a piece of your soul captured in time. It’s a part of you, preserved in a way that can outlast even your understanding of it, giving it a life that extends far beyond the moment of creation.