We Need Ecosystems, Not Egosystems

New ideas come from fluid, flowy contexts among communities that recognize and build upon one another. We need cooperation, community, and care right now.

“When we consider the phenomenon of collective creativity, which combines drops of individual creativity that frequently are insignificant in themselves, we readily understand what an enormous percentage of what has been created by humanity is a product of the anonymous collective creative work of unknown inventors” (Vygotsky, 1930:5).

In her TedTalk, "Your Elusive Creative Genius," acclaimed author Elizabeth Gilbert describes the unrealistic expectations society places on artists and geniuses. She suggests that instead of considering genius a rare quality in specific individuals, each one of us possesses a genius waiting to be unleashed.

I love the potential of this idea, and would suggest that there might be another way to look at it - that there exists a collective genius that only comes to be through the energy, ideas, diverse experience and expertise that happens in community.

Though we are conditioned to believe that creativity is individually sourced, there is a less discussed creativity that needs amplifying - that which comes from groups of people encouraging each other; challenging and arguing with each other; reacting for or against each others’ work.

The Big Idea

Collective creativity1 is creativity that comes from groups. It not about making ONE person’s idea come to life, or on the other end, groupthink, but creating with others so that the final result has co-author and co-ownership.

The concept of collective creativity:

• allows for a wide range of ideas and expertise,

• is more accessible to a greater number of people, and

• makes things happen that would not have happened without the network.

It is also energizing to be a part of it.

With technology connecting us across time and geography, with a renewed light under our human connection, and with the recognition that we’re better together - there are more ways and reasons to collaborate to create, to solve problems, to engage in projects - together.

This post calls out some conditions that are needed for collective creativity across schools and sectors, with the hope that we all might create space for it to grow.

Making Big Ideas Usable

Click here to read five guiding essentials for collective creativity anywhere.