Saturday, August 27, 2005

Intoxication for Inspiration?!

Have you ever noticed that your writing grows more impassioned and powerful if you allow your emotions to carry you away... the words seize control of you instead of the other way round, and appear to flow of their own accord, weaving themselves into wonderful verbal tapestries that you could not have created if you had written with a clear mind? On the face of it, your thoughts might have been less coherent, less rational... but when you re-read what you've written, they make perfect sense, and you surprise yourself with your eloquence.

It is said that a calm, composed and rational mind is required for good science, but an intoxicated, untempered mind is what excels at art, music, poetry and other creative pursuits. Order and Disorder. The Left side of the Brain and the Right side of the Brain. Some of the best artists (using the term loosely) in the world have maintained that their more brilliant works were achieved when they were high on drugs or some such thing. From personal experience, I know I will never contradict them. Of course, there are other ways of getting high than drugs or alcohol... I can get "high" on well-written books or poetry, or even a good computer game. Usually I get into these heightened states of mind when I am writing rather than reading, solving rather than framing.

But even as I think these thoughts, an egregious fallacy presents itself. The best scientific breakthroughs have often manifested themselves when the mind is in one of these chaotic highs. I, for one, could never get unstuck from certain points in my research while I was thinking rationally and studiously. The momentary spark of genius that gets you past difficult barriers follows the non-laws of creativity rather than the rational paths of science.

Have I gone wrong somewhere in my assumptions or reasoning? What am I missing here?

Cheers,
Prashanth.

19 comments:

Anonymous said...

I think you're absolutely right... the best performances in art [any kind] seem to come out of strong emotions rather then carefully planned preparation [which is giving the conscious a leash to control the subconscious]

Anonymous said...

<< previous comment

PS: I was having a problem with blogger

Anonymous said...

I don't know how it works for you, but for me, I am aroused by my surroundings to pen poetry. It might be something I have seen and there's this strange tingling feeling that makes me put pen to paper. But the underlying thought behind it might be a past experience. So for me, in fact, I feel at loss of words when the emotion is running too high. They pour out much later as words.
A little eccentricity can be the key to serendipity.
--kk

Anonymous said...

I'm high just on coffee; not even Columbian Roast (which might have inhaled some drug-infused air of Columbia); but Nestle's "Taster's Choice". So I can't s-t-r-e-t-c-h my imagination tooo much; but can dig into the small reservoir of my creative-production; to acquiesce with you!!!

Sometimes an event or an idea; can so fill us with passion; call it zeal, enthusiasm , exuberance ... that it gives a feeling of HIGH; an adrenaline-rush that finds expression in various creative ways.. writings, poems, lyrics, paintings ... The most remarkable words that flow outta our mouths and pour-off our fingers are mostly the words which expresses the deepest feelings of our heart.

This "high", this ascension; may resemble the intoxication or inebriation that comes from consuming mood-altering substances: drugs or alcohol. They alter the shapes n appearances of objects and new patterns and images appear; which may kick-off the creative instinct. Many pantheon of artistic giants have resorted to these....

A related but somewhat different experience is the "Eureka Moment"; or what Maslow terms "peak-experiences"; which is like a flash, a revelation or a "creative-insight"!! This has to do with craetivity but not necessarily intoxication. Sometimes when a question is puzzling us and all ingredients of the answer is assembled in the brain; but fail to gel-in. Suddenly, we may be walking, driving, eating, sleeping, whatever ... but like a "flash" everything fits together .....

Now I need an escape; from this rational-writing into the irrational dream-dom ...
*Intern

Hope I dont get another "warning" this time....

Artful Badger said...

I think a combination of both is needed. Long hours of work with occasional flashes of brilliance can get you far. Working hard is good but I guess you can never really hope to stand out. On the other hand, raw brilliance makes things easier for you but you need to work. How successful you are is a combination of these factors IMHO. IIT is a good place to observe such people. The stud, the slogger, the guy who miraculously clears his courses studying 2 nights before etc. etc.

Anonymous said...

INTOXICATION OF INSPIRATION

Prashanth said...

Tarun,
Welcome!

Kirthi,
I agree with you about the seed, the root of the inspiration for writing poetry... but for me, the words only flow faster if I allow my emotions to run high!

Intern,
Don't worry... if I kick you out, this blog will become a dull place :)

Ramani,
So you're the stud who miraculously cracks his courses?

Vc said...

Hey SP,
( mike check mike check..3 2 1)

I want a warning too...
Lets get High !! lets read Fantasy !!

Prashanth said...

Oh I've been doing that for the past three weeks!

Anonymous said...

Whooooa!
You made me a fantasy!!!

- Crazy *I

Anonymous said...

Hey Prashanth,

plzzz dont let me explain that I was kidding, in my previous post (crazy *I)

Now if I could go a bit tangential...

The *impassioned* mind, not only finds expression in creative art forms; but may also inspire humans to take up *new challenges*;... to tread uncharted paths, to conquer great hights n depths, to push the boundaries of physical endurance, to forage into the unknown universe ...... as if these challenges *rewards* humans with kind of a HIGH ...
*Intern

Sundeep said...

hey zombie. remember how you used to say that I could consistently write well if (and only if) I applied myself to it more industriously? Well I find, from personal experience, that I write better whenever I really WANT to convey something and not when I just decide to do it for the sake of producing some written output. Give me some kind of a writing assignment that I don't really feel enthusiastic about and my output would most likely be mediocre.

I guess my creativity is slightly limited in that sense because it isn't really under my complete control. It isn't like a faucet that can be opened by me at will. Rather it is like a geyser (say old faithful) that is sure to spout out water every now and then. Of course I'm trying but I'm not sure if I've improved compared to a few years back.

Prashanth said...

Intern, (or, if you insist,) Crazy *I,
No comment :)

Su,
That is 100% true. A lack of direction or interest is sure to affect the quality of your writing. Still, I am trying to convey here that if you allow yourself to get swept up in your work until you lose your conscious sense of reason and application, it more often than not results in good work.

In any case, I am happy that my advice is not always forgotten or unheeded!

Artful Badger said...

Am I? It's a state secret but I do actually study :D.

Anonymous said...

and the dark lord shall reign supreme.

Crazy *V

Anonymous said...

* A MUSE for INSPIRATION *

I'm not talking about the "mythological" Greek muses (nine of them) but those very "earthy" muses, who have inspired creative works of most revered artists. In Shakespear's words the "Tenth" Muse... "Be thou the tenth Muse,ten times more in worth; Than those old nine which rhymers invocate ...."

* A muse * A guiding spirit * A source of inspiration * ... mostly unattainable, maybe a person from past, someone barely known but fills with yearning, desire and becomes a core part of the artist's psyche ...

Picasso is said to have several muses; one was Dora Marr, herself an accomplished photographer. I saw a documentary on Picasso; which conveyed that people would know about his "new muse" when the face on his canvass changed. But mostly artists have a unique singular muse. Like Beatrice inspired Dante in his epic poem " The Divine Comedy"; Lucy inspired Wordsworth's "Lyrical Ballads"; Alice Liddell, inspired lewis Carroll's "Alice in Wonderland" and Yoko Uno maybe called John Lennon's muse....

Much less is talked about male muses;
but I got one....
As refreshing as the morning mist,
Inspiring as the Eye of Ra;
As fleeting as an elusive dream,
Leaving drenched in surreal awe ...

Thanks to these muses; our creative world is much richer....

*Intern

NOTE: Prashanth - you may delete this; without any warning ....
I'm cool with it...

Anonymous said...

Crazy *V ? who?

Vc said...

Crazy *VC that's who..

But why would SP want to delete your comments ? (weird)

Anonymous said...

Nu posht ka time aa gaya hai *hic*
*zonk* *thud*