The topic of how the internet impacts creativity in people is tentative. It can be presumed to be an extensive debate that has existed for quite an extended period. Many embrace the kind of technology in the current world but some are still skeptical. The internet is now not new to many, millions have been born in the world of the internet and they firmly believe the internet is a fundamental element in their existence. A good number especially from the older generations, however still believe that technology is potentially more damaging than constructive in some ways. Necessarily, everyone will tend to acknowledge that technology is an excellent thing for a number of things. For instance, the internet is one type of technology that has been a significant tool in human development. On the same note, a number of articles have been written to argue out how the internet leaves children brain dead. Being a tool, technology is as good as the user. Similarly, technology can be as bad as the user. Taking into consideration that every technology has been developed by a creative person, technology is a tool for enhancing creativity. Arguably, you may be in a position to purchase a touch screen with high sensitivity and millions of diverse colors to use for your design. However, if you are not good at drawing, modeling, or painting, the technology may not be helpful at all. In this particular scenario, technology does not affect creativity in any way. If one decides to search for ideas on the internet, one may end up copying or being inspired by what is on the internet. In such a case, technology is definitely killing creativity. Precisely, technology can either kill or enhance creativity in people depending on the user and usage. Technology has been an enemy of creativity in a significant number of ways. Similarly, technology has been a crucial tool in enhancing creativity in others. With both sides kept into consideration, technology is a tool for creativity if used in the right way. It enhances creativity through technology and is also a tool for enhancing creativity through empowering education and artificial intelligence, filmmaking, information sharing, and entrepreneurship.
Technology Limiting Creativity
Many people have argued that technology limits creativity. The technologically advanced tools that we keep creating have been blamed for limiting our creativity. At first, it was the television and computer games that were to bring the downfall of creativity all over. Yet there has continued to be more and more advancement in technology with more tools such as smartphones being developed. Aldous Huxley who wrote the book ‘Brave New World’ back in 1932 suggested a future in which human beings sated a constant desire for distraction through technology. Thoughts could be kept at bay because we would simply zap any boredom by distracting ourselves with our technological devices. Research says that we need time to daydream as daydreaming boosts our creativity. If we however spend all our free time going through our mobile devices, we are limiting our daydreaming time. Creativity is often a ‘use it or lose it’ discipline.
Technology limits the level of creativity among people because it is a barrier to innovation. According to research conducted about the effects of design fixation, technological design fixation limits the generation of new creative ideas. To add more to the point, researchers also insisted on the importance of brainstorming during design. Brainstorming is key in coming up with innovative ideas. Arguably, new ideas are said to be derived from nature. When brainstorming, it is recommended that one free the mind to nature and it is at that point when ideas are created. Being zoned in on phones, laptops and other devices with access to the internet deny students a chance to brainstorm in the right way. Though technology is said to improve the level of intelligence amongst people, it reduces the scores in creativity.
Technology is a tool in killing creativity through lack of originality. In the current world of the internet, people can access almost every information they need online. There exists a lot of templates for everything that a person may need to design _ including academic information. Piracy has made copy-pasting a normal thing. Kelly (2017) speaks of design fixation, especially by engineering students. In the article, the author expresses how to design fixation is a killer to creativity. There is a need for teachers to teach students the best traditions of invention, engineering, and science (Kelly, 16). This will help in developing expert innovators and a society made up of rigorous thinkers. There is a need to help students in engineering sectors to develop subtleties of the arts as they enhance their ability to harness the power of insinuation and lateral thinking which will assist them to move fluently from one side of the brain to the other. At this level, creativity and design will be compatible. Notably, design and design thinking form a bridge between logical and intuitive thinking between objective and subjective. Since creativity and design is a fundamental themes of technology education, there is a need to preserve the tradition in teaching to make sure technology doesn't kill innovation.
Another way technology is a killer of originality is through the destruction of original thinking. According to Austin, Internet has killed original thinking through ‘copy and pasting' ideas. Austin also conducted a case study with parents whose sons and daughters were considered bright in class. In response to the topic, the parents said that the kids are addicts to laptops. The kid is a master at retrieving answers from the internet to help them in doing their assignments as well as studying for the exams. The parents said that the internet has actually made dummies out of their kids. There seems to be a point about developing critical thinking skills that the kids are missing.
Concerning music, we are living in a golden age of music. The current content in music is no longer making sense. Music now relies more on technology than creativity. Musicians are exploring new sounds and combining them using technology. Traditionally, musicians used brainstorming to come up with a melody, later they would use what around them as instruments to create the music. This was considered creativity and it's no longer in existence today. Precisely, lack of creativity is one thing with content, and technology has been a tool in destroying content. In addition, the technology of design fixation has been a killer of originality.
Technology has been blamed for promoting laziness in communication hence reducing creativity in that given area. Traditionally, people used simple gestures to express their emotions, this has been replaced by proliferations of other functions to express views. According to…… technology has been a tool in limiting creativity.
Technology enhancing Creativity.
On the contrary, a significant number of people believe that technology enhances creativity through innovation. According to Jaime et al., 'organizations face an accelerated innovation that requires professionals with new skills and attitudes, especially those related to collective creativity. Though educational environments are somehow slow in integrating emerging paradigms that are tools for the development of collective creativity, the current world of the information age forces organizations to have continuous innovative ideas for them to keep with the pace. Though teachers tend to argue otherwise, employers are confident that creativity comes along with technology. Employers counts on Google, Wikipedia, and social media platforms as a form of innovation and collective intelligence. What opponents do not recognize is that creativity is a combination of a set of work paradigms, which often focuses on the general environment of collective intelligence as well as individuals. In addition, creativity is often termed as a means of developing means of solving problems. That being the case, technology is a tool for enhancing creativity since it is a solution to many problems. Precisely, it doesn't sound right to say that technology limits creativity, instead, technology is a tool for enhancing creativity through innovation.
Technology also boosts creativity through sharing of information. While creativity is considered the ability to come up with useful ideas and innovations, one can argue that technology has clearly made us more creative. Ranging from the early times up to the 21st Century it is evident that we are clearly in a different and changing revolution. The drastic change and improvement of means of communication have led to many developments that sustain our current lives all thanks to sharing of ideas. When people are able to communicate and share information, they diversify creative thinking. In the 18th Century, when the telephone was invented, it revolutionized the world and brought people together. If people share ideas and experiences, they are able to come up with creative works. The process of information and the ability to attain better performance largely depends on how people share and use information. Recent developments in communication have paved the way for inventions and innovations. For example the improvement of transport services, military services, and security. The internet is a major platform for information sharing. People are able to access information from the internet through different platforms and thus come up with new creative ideas and developments which become a pillar for survival.
Doctors have come up with new drugs to cure epidemic diseases thus reducing the death rate. Sharing of information has brought about the developments of social media platforms. These platforms for example Facebook connect people as a whole. People are able to share their daily experiences thus creating friendships, awareness, and many more ways of interacting with the world and the people. Currently, statistics say that more than 50% of the world's population is connected through information-sharing and communication. This technology through information sharing is a key component of creative thinking and improves creativity.
Film making and movie production is another area in which technology has improved creativity. The history of motion pictures dates back to the end of the 19th century when the first motion pictures were showcased as fairground novelty. Major advancements in the film industry include the development of synchronized sound and motion pictures and color motion picture film. Later on, the adoption of digital film replaced physical film technology. Video production has increasingly evolved as scientists have come up with ways of improving video projections and cameras. Technological advancements in the film industry came with the development of televisions that created platforms for people to broadcast and watch cinema. Television sets later advanced models to the current digital crystal screens, HD televisions, and LED screens among others. Creative Ideas for example the inventions of digital cameras and lenses have improved film and movie production as now producers are able to produce clear High-Definition images. Film producers are familiar with the lighting styles and techniques and are able to set the moods of a scene and thus can direct the attention of viewers towards some aspired element within the frame. Advancements in editing and visual effects through several editing applications and platforms have greatly improved the quality of image and video production. Computer-based editors come with a variety of editing options that include cutting, fading, and dissolving. After the creative advancements in the film industry, millions of dollars circulate in film production. There are other recent developments in the film production industry which include: the production of autonomous drones, 4k+3D technology that involves live production and virtual reality, smartphone camera gear, and drone goggles among others. The above improvements and developments are therefore in support of the statement that technology increases creative thinking.
Technology is a crucial tool in empowering creativity in education and artificial intelligence. Research by Gates (2004) showed that the availability of technological advancements such as learning tools, online resources, and assistive technology plays a role in allowing potential creativity. Adding on the same note, Elphick (2018) added that educational software has allowed students to conduct extensive and intensive research. In addition, such software enables students to actively engage when learning. Technology has also allowed illustration in school which enhances creativity. An excellent example of this is the 3D computer model used in biology practical to illustrate life functions as they would when dissecting animals. There are also educational video games on subjects such as math and writing which give students an enjoyable experience compared to traditional methods of learning. Yang Xiaozhe also conducted a case study on creativity in technology education facilitated through virtual reality learning environments. Through innovation education (IE), schools have adopted virtual reality learning environment technology which has been meant to develop drawing and describing solutions to certain problems. Virtual Reality Learning Environment (VRLE) has created network-based learning for students to work online in the school with their ideas kept in real-time. Chandrasekera and Yoon (2018) also supported the relevance of technology in enhancing creativity through their discussion on Computer Supported Collaborative Learning (CSCL). Jaime et al. (2017) also researched on how ICT enhances creativity through collective intelligence. In the current world, organizations face an accelerated innovation that insists on the need for professionals with excellent skills in a certain field. In the current world, creativity combines a set of work paradigms that focuses more on the ability to generate an environment of collective intelligence as well as an individual's creative abilities (Jaime et al. 04). Essentially, the innovation education model is the center topic of concern when discussing on how technology enhances creativity.
In marketing and branding, creativity is pivotal. It's however very vital to gauge the impact of a campaign as fast as possible. Without immediate data and insights, marketers are not able to gauge the success of a campaign until a relatively long time has passed. When the data comes in, what seemed like a creative means to solving a problem or marketing may not be resonating or producing the expected results. The trial-and-error approach without immediate insights may be frustrating and costly. This is why data and technology are a gift to marketers. Data lets marketers know whether their new creative ideas are working in a short period of time. They can then communicate this information to other departments in the organization to gain standing. Marketers have greatly benefitted from this by even receiving better funding for their departments as their value is not being seen as valuable to the organization. The key is to provide designers with analytics so they can see how their creative works are performing in the market. Getting to know what is working is very rewarding but it also makes the designer get better since he can get feedback in real-time. This means that the technology is enhancing creativity. The feedback will let them know what they are doing is resonating with the public and if that is not the case, they will need to come up with better and different solutions to the task. The digital marketing world has made it possible for the creation of a new wave of creativity and a new way to be creative-call it “creative intelligence” or “smart creativity.” This now allows marketers and designers to align what’s striking and clever with what resonates with target audiences to produce real returns. This has now made it easier to make decisions and marketing programs. This is because the two are best formed from data rather than from intuition, past experiences, or hunches. Accountability and visibility are therefore not limiting creativity but are rather a measure of how and why branding and smart creative execution are essential in business.
Technology has facilitated creativity through entrepreneurship in the sense that technology entrepreneurship involves creating of investing in projects that deploy specialized people and different assets to come up with some value for the firm. The digital transformation brought out by the gradual increase of these opportunities created a vast range of choices in which individuals express their beliefs, interests, and talents. YouTube, Vimeo, YouTube and Instagram, and personal blogs to name a few are several of the many platforms used to express own life, hobbies, talents, businesses, etc. The process of entrepreneurship requires creativity hence for one to use technology to create business opportunities; they have to exhibit creative thinking. Technology has the ability and capacity to move control from institutions and return it to people. Individuals, thanks to technology are also able to build a lifestyle together with a sense of unique identity which revolves around their daily activities, hobbies, or things they love or are passionate about. This form of entrepreneurship to some involves becoming a developer; others become designers while to others, it only consists of setting up some business. There is a wide range of opportunities. Entrepreneurs who use these platforms can generate quite an amount of money based on the number of viewers. It is a source of employment for many individuals. People with personal blogs express their feelings and provide some particular information by publicly posting on their blogs. These platforms also play a significant role in the advertisement sector. Producers and manufacturers can advertise their products, hence increasing the market as everyone can access the information. Technology helps individuals compete with large companies as it helps small businesses gain a competitive edge over more substantial organizations. With this argument, technology promotes creative online entrepreneurship.
Conclusion
Technology is now a major part of the society we live in. It has had a major impact on the world. From the above research, we have seen that technology has the ability to both limit and enhance creativity. First, we have seen that technology is a tool for limiting creativity, in many ways. Among them, technology limits creativity by limiting innovation, and lack of originality, promoting laziness, and various other ways. On the other hand, technology is also a tool for enhancing creativity through empowering education and artificial intelligence, filmmaking, information sharing, and entrepreneurship. Both sides of the argument seem to make a lot of sense. However, I believe the merits of technology far outweigh the demerits. Technology is a big help in advancing the creativity of individuals. If used properly, technology has the potential of even enhance our creativity to even greater heights.