On Being Different

I guess there's a stereotype out there that weird folk are creative. Or was it that creative folk are weird. Regardless, I get the impression that being different seems to have a tendency to spur creativity.

I would think about the constraints one encounters when being different, and it is well established that constraints encourage creativity simply because you can't go through them so you need to find ways to go around. And of course, being different also tends to mean one doesn't find oneself entrenched in the in-groups where group think rules, so it becomes that bit easier to think for yourself. In fact, it often forces one to think about how group dynamics work in the first place, and that leads one to question a lot more. That questioning contributes to creativity as well.

When the difference is something that really forces one out of a group, be it a difference in psychology, sexual orientation or even culture, one either strikes out solo or finds oneself being quite miserable shoehorning oneself like a square peg in a round hole. Alternatively, one just finds a similar group and blends in instead.