I have not been able to seriously use the term “creative” as a noun. I picture invisible finger quotes in the air whenever I hear it. There is something smug about the term, like a side whisper – “they’re a weirdo, we don’t really take them seriously . . . ”
Here are some sample sentences with the word “creative” used as a noun:
Are you a creative? Then this program is for you.
This is Stephanie. She’s our team’s number one creative.
We have had measurable success pairing up creatives with merchandisers.
Hi, I’m Holly. I’m a creative.
It feels like a corporate term. A marketing term. A term used for someone who isn’t taken seriously, or who doesn’t take themselves seriously, or who takes themselves way too seriously. It feels off.
Has artist become a dangerous word?
I feel queasy when I hear “creative” used as a noun – it’s “artist” sterilized, corporatized, minimized. The term is antiseptic, cheap, denigrating.
I may need to explore this feeling of sterilization. Why is this surfacing? Maybe I am shedding the feeling as my job at the university winds down.
Perhaps another post . . .
Perhaps a post on the lushness, richness, messiness of creativity, of life!
Thanks for reading.
Holly
holly troy ~ sacred folly 
Lovely painting!
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thanks so much! I think it will be finished this weekend.
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You are welcome 🙏
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I have the same reaction when I hear the terms “thought leader” or “influencer.” Nouns with sort of a verb action entwined. Thought leader sounds like brain re-programing and influencer sounds like an infection :-0 But I do think your post is very creative and I always love to look at how language evolves, meanings and word usage change, And there is the “Urban Dictionary” – lol!
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A few years ago, I was at a New Age health conference in Sedona. There was a session about an intentional sustainable community being formed in Arizona. The plan was that they were buying hundreds of acres for the community to live and to farm marijuana. The main speaker was really creepy – a man roughly in his 60s or 70s. He talked about all members going through an orientation period where they would learn how to let go of all their hangups and focus all their attention on the objectives of the community. He was bold. He said – “each member of the community will go through a brainwashing. It will be wonderful.” (I was sitting there thinking – No shit. You will create slaves to farm your pot – and they will be so reliant on the community they won’t be able to leave).
No one in the audience raised an eyebrow! Most of the folks in the audience were a generation or so younger than me – a few were older, the usual New Age types. It scared me to see so many people comfortable with the term “brainwash”.
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Wow ! That’s crazy
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completely!
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Funny thing is – I think I used to have the same response to Thought Leader. But put New in front of it and I dig it. New Thought Leader. Somebody called me that once and I said to myself – I like it! LOL!
Influencer – infection! Hah. Fun stuff to play with for sure.
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I love words, and their derivations. It’s fun stuff and there are so many transitions as they are adopted for different purposes. I can see the positive of thought leader, as I can creative as a noun. I think you’re really creative – verb 🙂
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Thank goodness for the creative for their creation of creation, for theirs is a creation worth creating! Creatives for Creation!!! Creatives for Creation!!! Hey, if you say “create” roots enough in the same sentence, it begins to sound like a time period classification etymology, for example, “During the creative era when creatives roamed the earth…”. 😉
PS. Thanks, Holly, for creating so creatively and sharing that with us! …Rob
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Shining that creativity right back at you. It’s a good thing we creatives are creating right now – otherwise they may not be any future eras to speak of.
🙂
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I see your point, but “creative” as a noun actually works for me. This is the first time I’ve heard or seen it, but it made me feel good. It seems to credit the person with that quality which so many “artists” lack, creativity.
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Haha!
I only ever heard the term in the context of marketing. I’ll think of you next time I hear it, it will make me smile.
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Thanks for this conversation. I realize I believe to be human is to automatically be creative (though not necessarily an artist). This is our creative . . . this is our human.
I’m looking forward to continuing to explore this.
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Interesting. I am fond of saying “everyone is an artist.” I’m not fond of labels or limitations.
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I’m not big on labels either – though the tagline for my blog is a string of labels! LOL
Once we label something, there is a limitation, yet, without some sort of form or structure it’s hard to find meaning.
I love this play. I wonder if my feeling about certain words will shift once I have had time away from my corporate university job. It is amazing how a job can creep into my consciousness and have an affect on my thoughts and emotions and creative process. Looking forward to noticing . . .
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Bravo, Holly!
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Nice painting!
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Thanks, David! Looking forward to finishing it.
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