Can Asians Be Creative?
In this episode of what new thing Jeff has decided to throw himself into - it's "art" as a means of reflection (the quotation marks are to symbolise mum's thoughts on what I've been doing). Mental health has become increasingly important in lockdown times with many friends turning to meditation and yoga to find relaxation and to re-center themselves. Being a procrasti-doodler my entire life, I decided to trial my own method of mindfulness by listening to a tunes (think Nujabes and Disturbed all the way to Lord of the Isles and Shanti Celeste) and just moving a brush or cursor without a moment of hesitation. The outputs are primary school at worst and avant-garde at best, but as a means of emotional release and reflection, I think it works brilliantly. This made me think again on the topic of Asians not being traditionally labelled as a creative group of people and the reasonings behind this idea. Roy Chua writes that creativity can be linked to cultural tightness, which is the extent to which a society is characterised by rules and norms, and the degree to which people are punished for deviation from these rules. Asian countries that value collective prosperity have traditionally adopted a more risk-adverse approach to problem solving, reinforcing a culture of greater rigidity. Whilst pragmatism has served Asia well, challenges of the 21st century require more outlandish innovation, which may encourage a broader shift to risk taking and exciting ideas. At a local level, I feel that although 2020 has restricted many of us from living the lives we want, the amount of Asian-backed startups and side hustles that have launched (including this ol' pod) speaks strongly to the desire for new ideas and risk taking - something I am definitely here for. My advice - just take a stab at whatever idea you've been dwelling on, because regardless of what happens, the experience will be a insightful and fulfilling. P.S. if you want to see lo-fi art and collages that'll make you question my sanity, follow @blinkthrice_ xx
Jeff
