Learning Through Emulation
I invented nothing new. I simply assembled the discoveries of other men, behind whom were centuries of work. Had I worked fifty or ten or even five years before, I would have failed. So it is with every new thing. Progress happens when all the factors that make for it are ready, and then it is inevitable. To teach that a comparatively few men are responsible for the greatest forward steps of mankind is the worst sort of nonsense.
– Henry Ford
The act of creation is surrounded by a fog of myths. Myths that creativity comes via inspiration. That original creations break the mold. That they’re the products of geniuses. And appear as quickly as electricity can heat a filament.
But creativity isn’t magic. It happens by applying ordinary tools of thought to existing materials. And the soil from which we grow our creations is something we scorn and misunderstand even though it gives us so much. And that’s copying.
Put simply, copying is how we learn. We can’t introduce anything new until we’re fluent in the language of our domain, and we do that through emulation. For instance, all artists spend their formative producing derivative work.
Myths About Creativity
The Myth of Inspiration
Creativity comes suddenly through divine moments of inspiration
The Myth of Originality
True creations must break the mold and be completely new
The Myth of Genius
Significant creations are only produced by exceptional people
The Reality of Creation
Ordinary Tools
Creativity happens by applying ordinary tools of thought to existing materials
Learning Through Copying
We can’t introduce anything new until we’re fluent in the language of our domain
