Exploding the Creativity Myth

Karl Lagerfeld's description of his sunglasses as a 'Burqa for my eyes' drew a huge amount of commentary. But what was going on within that phrase? Why was it deemed original and contentious and what

Clinical psychologist Kirsch (U. of Hull, UK, and U. of Connecticut) draws on his research to relate how most improvements shown by depressed patients are due to the placebo effect, not antidepressant

From a cold war peak of some $1000 billion per annum, world military expenditure has declined by about 40% since 1990, reaching its lowest level for thirty years. With such significant decline in glob

Conventional wisdom has North America entering a new era of energy abundance thanks to shale gas. But has industry been honest? Cold, Hungry and in the Dark argues that declining productivity combined

Creativity is crucial in helping students achieve academic and professional success. The authors argue that creativity is not spontaneous or inborn but a process that can be cultivated by utilizing se

One of the most common assumptions about World War II is that the Jews did not actively or effectively resist their own extermination at the hands of the Nazis. In this powerful book, Benjamin Ginsber

Are YOU over 40? Have you ever let aches & pains, injury or a lack of energy STOP YOU from doing the things you WANT TO DO IN LIFE? You can learn the secrets of Australia's Top Physiotherapists to sta

In Myth, Ritual and the Oral Jack Goody, one of the world's most distinguished anthropologists, returns to the related themes of myth, orality and literacy, subjects that have long been a touchstone in anthropological thinking. Combining classic papers with recent unpublished work, this volume brings together some of the most important essays written on these themes in the past half century, representative of a lifetime of critical engagement and research. In characteristically clear and accessible style, Jack Goody addresses fundamental conceptual schemes underpinning modern anthropology, providing potent critiques of current theoretical trends. Drawing upon his highly influential work on the LoDagaa myth of the Bagre, Goody challenges structuralist and functionalist interpretations of oral 'literature', stressing the issues of variation, imagination and creativity, and the problems of methodology and analysis. These insightful, and at times provocative, essays will stimulate fresh de

Are creative people more likely to be mentally ill? This basic question has been debated for thousands of years, with the 'mad genius' concept advanced by such luminaries as Aristotle. There are many studies that argue the answer is 'yes', and several prominent scholars who argue strongly for a connection. There are also those who argue equally strongly that the core studies and scholarship underlying the mad genius myth are fundamentally flawed. This book re-examines the common view that a high level of individual creativity often correlates with a heightened risk of mental illness. It reverses conventional wisdom that links creativity with mental illness, arguing that the two traits are not associated. With contributions from some of the most exciting voices in the fields of psychology, neuroscience, physics, psychiatry, and management, this is a dynamic and cutting-edge volume that will inspire new ideas and studies on this fascinating topic.

Are innovation and creativity helped or hindered by our intellectual property laws? In the two hundred plus years since the Constitution enshrined protections for those who create and innovate, we're

The modern relationship is in crisis. Why? In this pioneering work, Susie Orbach and Luise Eichenbaum pinpoint the deceptively simply question that lies at the root of all its problems and ask - what

Fostering Creativity in Self and The Organization: Your Professional Edge helps individuals, and their organizations, learn to maximize creative potential. The book explodes the myth that creative pe

The Ephemeral Civilization is an astonishing intellectual feat in which Graeme Snooks develops an original and ground-breaking analysis of changing sociopolitical forms over the past 3,000 years. Snoo

Jay Williams' approach to the study of the life of Christ simply overflows with intuitional creativity, permitting students to find for themselves trans-historical, yet new and existential situations

'It''s often said that books are compulsory reading, but this book really is compulsory. You cannot understand slavery, or British Empire, without it'' Sathnam SangheraArguing that the slave trade was at the heart of Britain''s economic progress, Eric Williams''s landmark 1944 study revealed the connections between capitalism and racism, and has influenced generations of historians ever since.Williams traces the rise and fall of the Atlantic slave trade through the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries to show how it laid the foundations of the Industrial Revolution, and how racism arose as a means of rationalising an economic decision. Most significantly, he showed how slavery was only abolished when it ceased to become financially viable, exploding the myth of emancipation as a mark of Britain''s moral progress.''Its thesis is a starting point for a new generation of scholarship''New Yorker

More than 80 classics retold and explained, from early creation beliefs to classical hero narratives and the recurring theme of the afterlife. Who is the trickster god, Maui? What is the Mead of Poetry and what gift did it bestow on those who drank it? What did Ancient Egyptian mythology say about the Underworld? The latest title in the bestselling Big Ideas series, The Mythology Book answers these questions and more, as it explores the compelling worlds and characters depicted in myths and legends. Delve into each myth and discover the meanings behind these stories, getting to the heart of their significance to different cultures worldwide. More than just stories, myths are testament to the amazing creativity of humans striving to explain and make sense of the world around them. Here you will discover Zeus, god of the sky and ruler of the Olympian gods, Loki, the cunning trickster with a knack for causing havoc, Thor with his mighty hammer, and Hades, ruler of the underworld. Beyond t

The eureka moment is a myth. It is an altogether naïve and fanciful account of human progress. Innovations emerge from a much less mysterious combination of historical, circumstantial, and accidental influences. This book explores the origin and evolution of several important behavioral innovations including the high five, the Heimlich maneuver, the butterfly stroke, the moonwalk, and the Iowa caucus. Such creations' striking suitability to the situation and the moment appear ingeniously designed with foresight. However, more often than not, they actually arise 'as if by design.' Based on investigations into the histories of a wide range of innovations, Edward A. Wasserman reveals the nature of behavioral creativity. What surfaces is a fascinating web of causation involving three main factors: context, consequence, and coincidence. Focusing on the process rather than the product of innovation elevates behavior to the very center of the creative human endeavor.

Bestselling author and creativity expert Jeff Goins dismantles the myth that being creative is a hindrance to success by revealing how an artistic temperament is in fact a competitive advantage in the

In the vein of Susan Cain's Quiet and Malcolm Gladwell's David And Goliath, How To Fly A Horse is a smart, empowering book that dispels the myths around genius and creativity. There is a myth about ho

Music and violence have been linked since antiquity in ritual, myth, and art. Considered together they raise fundamental questions about creativity, discourse, and music's role in society. The essays

The turn of the nineteenth century, a time of exceptional creativity in Russia, was also a time of great receptivity to foreign cultural influences. Among the most important of these were English poetry and aesthetic thought, which gave new impetus to the Russian imagination. This 1998 book is a study of the Russian reception of English literature from Romanticism to aestheticism, focusing particularly on the reception by Russian poets of Shelley, Ruskin, Pater, Frazer and Wilde. Framing this account is a pioneering exploration of the intellectual background to these influences in comparative scholarship, illuminating a common interest in myth, folklore, anthropology, and the origins of language. This book discusses the relationship between Russian conceptions of national identity, literary influence and the origins of comparative literary history.