In a modern yet well-documented society where pressure is everywhere due to a strong social media presence, it is no wonder why the younger generations have begun to show signs of perfectionism and the negative results that stem from that.
Society began installing these perfectionistic mentalities into so many areas and very early on in people’s lives. Whether it’s intense competition between peers, high academic and parental expectations or the never-ending social comparisons established by social media, it is no wonder why creativity has been put on the back burner for so many.
Why would people want to go outside the box and pursue those creative venues when it is conformity that is praised?
Perfectionism and the need to be better than the person next to you ruins individuality and expression needed to be explorative and artistic. These mentalities are severely affecting creativity in younger people especially because they are burnt out from society’s expectations of hard work and talent being the sole way to success.
Modern culture has begun to create an environment where the immense pressure to be anything less than perfect indicates a significant flaw. Academic rankings, competitive job markets and the idea that outperforming your peers are the keys to success, have been engrained in many young people. The idea that value is to be earned from performance only adds to the fear of risk-taking, showing us everything we need to see when deep diving into why we lack creativity in modern day society.
How will I get the job I want if I don’t do this? What about if I fail? Anxiety about failure and underperforming creates a reluctance to start new things or creative projects. This is because the nature of creativity is to be imperfect. Learning to embrace the creative process, which is full of experimentation and risk-taking is something that terrifies so many people.
Going off personal experience, as a person who’s spent more years than I can count sitting in an art room and filling dozens of sketchbooks with doodles, I even notice the weight from social norms, and how it led to losing that creative spark.
To remember that I grew up in a household that encouraged my creativity more than anything else and never doubted me, makes it even harder to admit how I, too, have fallen victim to the societal pressure that deters people away from creative fields.
Could a pencil really determine my success? How do I compare to others with the same skill? What is the point of doing this if I cannot make it reek of perfection? These self-engrained mentalities mixed with the endless pressure from a world that thrives on competition has led to a lack of interest in my hobbies. A loss of inspiration, if you will. I’ve seen that as a steady theme with many people my age and older.
Life demands structure and, oftentimes, creativity demands the opposite. I believe if you learn to find the balance; the mix between the perfect and the imperfect, that is what creates the most successful person.
So, if the headline of this article drew you in, consider it a subconscious want. A want to go against the norm and break back out those colored pencils or that guitar. A want to loosen up on the idea of being perfect all the time. A want to pull back that creativity you had in you. I know we all once fostered. Don’t let yourself become a part of the group of adults that can’t be anything but a work zombie. Find your niche and start doing it.
It’s boring to be perfect all the time, go be artsy. I know you want to.
