We’re a society possessive of ideas, an indication we must believe they come from a place unique to each of us, easily depleted, and devoid of external influence. I’m sure most of you can recognize the absurdity of that statement. The reality is that everything we’re exposed to in life becomes an influence. In that truth, we can also see that we’re an interconnected species building something together, even though we tend to believe we’re making something of our own. To quote Kirby Ferguson, who developed the video series Everything is a Remix, “The interdependence of our creativity has been obscured by powerful cultural ideas, but technology is now exposing this connectedness.”
Ferguson’s videos clearly illustrates that creativity stems from copying what has come before. Ferguson states that we can’t do anything new until we become fluent in the language of our domain. He provides examples of Bob Dylan beginning his career by doing covers and Richard Prior starting out imitating Bill Cosby. Part 1 defines the remix and shows how hip hop began sampling from other artists. We copy to learn and once we do we’re capable of creating something new and remarkable.
Part 3: The Elements of Creativity (embedded above) provides context by demonstrating how the Apple computer came into existence by copying the ideas from Xerox (which created the first computer), transforming elements into their own, and positioning it in the home market (whereas Xerox was for professionals). Yet, I think the most profound part comes after the credits, in what appears to be a trailer for Part 4, and shows an even larger cultural context of interconnection. Ferguson talks about Multiple Discovery, the theory that the same innovation independently emerges from different places more or less simultaneously. Calculus, evolution by natural selection, and the telephone are listed as multiple discoveries. I find this idea fascinating, and I think it provides some form of evidence of the importance in making our ideas happen.
Thanks to The Design Cubicle for sharing Everything is a Remix.
