How Abandonment from Society Fosters Creativity

I’m pretty much a square peg that fits nowherere, except into my very own idealized toolbox. Even though at times I simply wish to be “normal”, being crass/weird does promote an independent sense of creativity.

Have you ever wondered about the adaptability of human beings? I have. I do. Religiously. I say that as I finish a dear piece of creative work from home, glance at the result and can’t help but feel a sense of accomplishment and pride.

We, humans, are probably the most adaptable species on the planet. You think our big brains were mainly responsible for our domination of the animal kingdom? In part. Yet I’d counter that with an emphasis on the wildly successful adaptability of homo sapiens in comparison to every other species out there.

Regardless of the situation, those wo wish to adapt will do thusly. Adaptability to adversity is one of the many traits that characterize the willing ones; the portion of the population that has found innovative ways of dealing with challenges not because their intelligence stands above the average, but because they’ve had to.

One of the most marking scenes from the nifty little movie “Cast Away” is the one where the protagonist, Tom Hanks, removes one of his ill teeth via iceskate extraction. Literally. It has to be one of the most painful images forever etched into my memory; had he not done it though, he may have perished as consequence of a tooth infection. Point is, our bodies, our minds, are capable of extreme adaptions to fit our environments and our instincts are willing to take over if need be. Indeed a sort of evolution on a micro-level.

Was it brave of Tom Hanks’ character? Yes. Was it painful? Yes. Was it logical? Perhaps. But was it necessary? Absolutely. We will do what is necessary to survive, sometimes at all costs. When confronted with impending doom, our minds appear to go into animal overdrive, suddenly finding solutions to countless scenarios posed by current challenges.

I’ve felt secluded from society for a very, very long time due to my otherness. As fundamental social beings, separation from the tribe used to equal certain death for those who ventured voluntarily or involuntarily into the wild. Hence, the concept of exile being worse than a quick, painless guillotine execution.

Individuals who sought to challenge the elements and defy overwhelming odds of death at the hands of some wild lingering…