=magic of creativity= in kierkegaards either/or, part i, particularly in the essay the first love, kierkegaard embarks on an intricate exploration of the creative process, proposing that even the most inspired and productive individuals are propelled by external, often accidental, circumstances. he suggests that inspiration alone is not sufficient for creationrather, it requires the stimulus of an outside event or occasion to spark action. kierkegaards reflections on creativity transcend mere internal resolve or purpose, showing how the accidental is as vital to productivity as the traditional invocation of the muse. he writes: "anyone who has ever had leanings toward productivity has certainly also noticed that it is a little accidental external circumstance that becomes the occasion for the actual producing" (either/or, i, p. 207). in this, he highlights the essential, paradoxical role of the external in actualizing inspiration. the muse, traditionally viewed as a symbol of creativity, is reinterpreted as both an entity invoked by the artist and a force that calls upon the artist. however, this invocation alone rarely produces results: "for what wessel once said still holds concerning the god of taste whom all invoke, that he so rarely comes (p. 207). the muse is elusive, and its presence must be complemented by the occasionan external, seemingly incidental event. kierkegaard emphasizes that the occasion, far from being a mere logical accident, is a paradoxical necessity for transforming internal inspiration into tangible production. without the occasion, even profound ideas remain dormant. this tension between the internal and external mirrors the broader existential conflict between the ideal and the real, where the accidental event acts as a bridge between thought and action.
United States