Creativity beyond the self

In a world designed for solo competitors, is success still success when achieved alone? Or is it just another way of failing?

Creative people understand this paradox intimately. The work demands periods of solitude. These are the necessary trials that produce something true. But the real reward exists in the shared space, in togetherness.

Biologists call it the Allee effect: organisms become disproportionately stronger in groups. Goldfish survive longer with companions. Certain fish species withstand harsher conditions collectively than an individual alone. In groups, they develop capacities that might as well be superpowers.

We're no different. Alone, we're hyper-attuned to every slight and setback. Together, these fade into the background. We’re too busy holding hands, laughing, plus-oneing each other. Who can hear the noise? The arithmetic of collaboration isn't 2+2 = 4. It's 2+2 = 6, or 16, or something entirely uncountable.

Economic reality reflects this too. On our own, our ability to grow is limited. Collectively we become a force with structural power.

The cultural mythology of success tells us to self-actualize, self-achieve, self-promote. Nurturing yourself and growing as an individual are imperative. However a relentless focus on the self ironically leaves us diminished. 

When we collectively actualize, we participate in something bigger, yet remain distinctly ourselves. Our voices don't dissolve, they become part of a chorus. This isn't loss of self but expansion of possibility.

This form of success has durability. It creates foundations strong enough to build new dimensions of work you never imagined possible, connections that remake your understanding of what you're capable of, whole new wings of life. 

These are things that happen when we come together. When we let go of our grip on our individual identities and open up to something bigger while still very much ourselves. 

The world has forgotten this way of living. It’s not convenient. It’s harder to make money from. Who do you even charge? 

But the next world is already beginning. It had to start within the existing one — there was no other option. From here we're creating a different ecosystem that honors both our independence and our interdependence. 

Where we're not afraid to go it alone, and we're even less afraid to go it together.

Related from the archive

How culture is made: a dive into collaborative movements across history, from the Royal Society to Dischord Records to the Guerrilla Girls and the foundational ideas behind this project.

Housekeeping

Keen watchers may notice this email is being sent from Ghost, one of two email senders we debated using last week. Thanks to everyone for your feedback. We've made some edits to our setup and hope this go-around works better.

We leave you with a link to our latest episode of the New Creative Era podcast which answers a listener question: How do I decide as a creative person where to invest my time? Check out our conversation here.

Thanks for sharing this space with us.

<3
Metalabel