Bad, rather than positive, moods may spur creativity under certain conditions
This research comes from Rice University. I’ve always sensed this was true. After 20 years of writing you begin to notice the best stuff comes from being mad, not happy. Send this post to people who harp on “having a nice day” or “being nice.” Tell them it is a creativity killer then tell them to stuff it!
While seemingly counterintuitive, researchers have found that employees with positive moods may sometimes be less creative at the workplace than those in negative moods.
No wonder my best ideas come in the middle of a 2-hour meeting. I developed a regexp in my head while everyone was annoying me by speaking around a subject. If they don’t want to come right to it, then they shouldn’t open their darn mouths. Then, Eureka! I had the solution to a problem I was trying to solve.
In the artistic world, isn’t this the “tortured artist syndrome”? And the source of the “suffering for your art” cliche?
In music, I believe it is responsible for the “sophomore slump”; where the first album – made while you were struggling – is great, but your next release – after your whole world has been changed, by celebrity – has much less heart/soul.
Oh my yes. Anger is the one of the most prolific and dependable of creative sources around. Look at 80% of the humor that’s published or delivered on stage (stand-up routines in particular).
Personal examples: I’ve been writing a dictionary for about 15 years called the revised devil’s dictionary (a nod to Bierce). I get quoted a number of places and have a minor but loyal following. You can see some of my best stuff at http://www.revisedevilsdictionary.com/selctions.htm
two short ones (generated during extreme anger at being forced to undergo Team Training at work):
span of control The length of one’s whip.
success n Earning the hatred of those you despise.
coalition n. (Political) A fusion of disparate odds and ends, welded together by three things: fear, greed, and hate. Those that last, anyway.
Writing is a great relief for anger.
TG Browning
It’s like the comparison between uppers and downers in many of the arts. Did Bob Dylan write anything worth listening to after he stopped doing speed? “Crimson Flames” was his farewell to a lot more than dissent.
TG
Thanks for the laughs! And the link.
“(generated during extreme anger at being forced to undergo Team Training at work)” — T G Browning
TG,
I used to get people visibly and physically angry when I would tell them my definition of teamwork: “Teamwork is getting your job description on somebody else’s to-do list.” To certain people, the sentence was like looking into a mirror.
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P.S. I liked your 3rd definition of consensus. 🙂