EF37 SHOW NOTES
Looking to play or download the episode? Click here… EF37 (BTP-EF13): Where Creativity Comes From and How to Find Your Uniquely Bloody Fingerprint — Behind the Podcast of Episode EF13
Episode EF37 Summary
Spoiler alert: You’re about to listen to a Behind The Podcast (BTP) of Episode EF13, which was Season 1, Episode 11 of the Evolve Faster Podcast titled The Bloody Fingerprint of Creativity. The driving question of this episode (and this BTP) for you to think through is … Where does creativity come from?! It’s a fascinating question that actually has surprisingly little research or philosophical investigation.
As a reminder about Episode EF13: Facing a serious amnesia, Eric Clemens with the help of Dr. Eden Harper tries to recollect his lost memories. Dr. Harper takes an unconventional road not only to help Eric track his past, but to create a foundation for his future as well. As they dig deeper and deeper, Eric has to face demons he didn’t know even existed. This episode of the Evolve Faster Podcast will investigate what art is and how do we perceive the concept of creating art. Through psychological theories ranging from William James to Carl Jung with a neuroscientific backup, the goal is to demystify the long-living mystery as it turns out – what art is and what we believe it to be are two different ideas. Even more important, people who are capable to create art might not just be a chosen few.
The eleventh episode of the first season of the Evolve Faster Podcast Episode is driven by the big question Where does creativity come from?! It’s impossible to understand if creativity is born as soon as we are or is creativity a quest we need to work to achieve. Or maybe, it’s both?
To peek behind the curtain of Episode EF13, we’ll dissect the following submitted questions:
- Why this question? Where does creativity come from?!
- Are the story and Eric modeled after anyone? Is this autobiographical?
- I didn’t really get the cryptomnesia part the doctor mentions, can you explain it?
- Where did the bloody fingerprint metaphor concept come from?
- There was a comment from the episode saying that the Questions are Hidden by the answers. Can you explain this?
- And more…
dedication
DEDICATION: Episode EF13 is dedicated to Paul McCartney. As a founding member of the Beatles, he needs no introduction for most. EF13 is an episode exploring the depths and sources of creativity. Thus, you might assume that the Lennon/McCartney songwriting powerhouse should be enough to justify the dedication. Their career of hard work mixed with seemingly endless creativity resulted in unforgetful pieces of art.
Starting in the Beatles and later moving on with his solo work with Wings, he has continuously created new structures of songs and consistently redefined rock and roll. Either as a Beatles or Wings fan, you might not always like all of what McCartney creates. But it’s hard to deny the talent that’s a result of constant hard work and evolution as an artist.
HOW PAUL MCCARTNEY INSPIRES EPISODE EF13
For fans of the Evolve Faster podcast, you might guess there’s also a more prominent connection causing the episode to be dedicated to McCartney. I’ll give only one hint … there might be a link between the creative alchemy behind one of his most famous songs and the hidden drive of the lead character of Episode EF13.
Here are a few places can find out more about Sir Paul and his creativity, in case you want to find out more about McCartney or the Beatles inventing much of the song structure that underlies rock and roll:
- Paul McCartney Official Website or on Twitter
- McCartney Creating a Song on the Spot
- McCartney Interview on Creativity
inspirations
INSPIRATIONS: William James, a psychologist who made the uncanny connection between a drug, religious and creative experience. Gene Fowler, a famous writer who made us realize all you need to create great work is a couple of drops of blood on the paper. Carl Jung, a psychologist who believed the creative resources are in our subconscious- we just have to dig it up. Steven Pressfield, a writer who put all our creative struggles in a single book in hopes of making it easier. Episode EF13 was further inspired by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, Immanuel Kant, James Baldwin, Mark Twain, Kimberley A. Wade, Maryanne Garry, J. Don Read, Stephen Lindsay, Xiaoqing Gao For a full list of data and references, please see the Episode EF13 Show Notes.
references
Tim Ferriss, The Interview I’ve Waited 20 Years To Do, tim.blog. https://tim.blog/2019/03/28/neil-gaiman/. (Accessed: Apr 18, 2019)
episode quotes
Any of these quotes make you think? If so, please support the show by sharing…
Creativity fuses functional, rational, irrational and the feeling of ecstasy, all into one. If we were solely rational beings, what would be the purpose of experiencing anything?
The critical part of creativity is to just do stuff; try things; make mistakes; keep working even when it’s the last thing you feel like doing. If you keep the ball moving, the creative connections blossom.
The illusion of satisfaction you get from an answer can conceal the real questions you should be asking.
Living an artful life can be as simple as walking down the street mindfully and appreciating everything… instead of appreciating nothing.
Creativity is 90% grind and 10% breakthrough; but all 100% of it is rewarding in the end.
