The opposite

Hi Tom,

You have succinctly described a key attribute of the creative process. The ability to see/exploit/learn from understanding the opposite. A key part of the creative process is to know what to include. However, knowing what to exclude is also very much part of the creative process. It doesn't surprise me that you have this skilled honed.

If you extend this art concept into regular human life, this is exactly the human condition that most astounds me the most - even more than the getting dumber over time. It is not so much that people can't use opposites to be creative, but that they are clueless on the concept of opposite. Some psychologists would describe this as Emotional Intelligence - the ability to understand/comprehend the other persons perspective. However, it transcends relationships. People can't judge, can't analyze, can't rationalize, can't negotiate, they simply lock on there view. I suppose everything else is irrelevant. I am not sure what it is exactly that prevents them from projecting. It affects more than creativity; it affects the divorce rate, facebook faceoffs, international conflicts, etc.