To TS,

The answer is a definite NO

For some, they don't lose something they do not have to begin with

For others, no matter what the outside society wants to do to them, what they have they still retain

And for this country, sad to say, more than 99% of our countryfolks fall into the first category

No, it ain't the education system, it's the people

Face it, we are a ppl with no imagination

In other words, we are stupid, very stupid, as compared to ppl from other countries

This post has been edited by convivencia: Sep 17 2009, 06:17 PM

Look at the messages in this thread

Just look at how folks trying to define "Creativity"

Oh my !

The only criteria to judge whether one has creativity is by the result --- when something that awes you, something so simple and yet so intuitive you just had to exclaim to yourself: "How come I didn't think of that ?"

It's not about machine, not about education, not about the size of the country nor the amount of population

If you guys can't even understand what "Creativity" is all about, and you guys supposed to represent the top 1% of our country's people (and I never angkat air for no one), oh my, what future this country gonna get?

If what I am saying hurts you, good, try harder next time !

Believe it or not, I have done a study on that

I have studied Europe, China, the Islamic civilization and also Japan and a very clear factor stood out ---- People are their most creative when peace broke out

Read it carefully, not war broke out, but peace broke out

In every case, not long before the period of intense creativity, some calamity must happened

In Europe, the plague happened

Almost 2/3 or the European population died in the plague

Just after the plague, renaissance broke out, and all types of new music, new technology, new science and new philosophy were produced

The most creative period for the Islamic civilization is after they have defeated all the crusaders

It's a time where peace broke out, and also a time we see 99% of Islamic scientists and mathematicians made their contribution to the human race

Same thing happened in Japan, twice

The first period for Japan's renaissance happened between 1870s to about 1930s

Before 1870s, Japan was embroiled in civil wars

Bands of samurais were killing each others, untold millions of peasants also perished in the ravage

And that first period of Japanese renaissance ended when they threw 100% of their effort in WW II

The second period of Japanese renaissance started after WW II

Japan, a defeated country, was in ruin, but... it had PEACE after so many years of bitter wars (war against Russia, war against China, war against French, war against British, war against the South East Asians and lastly war against the Aussies and against Uncle Sam)

In the case of China, Tang Dynasty is but one of the period of active creativity, but if one study China's history, one would know that before the Tang Dynasty, China was in kelam kabut for hundreds of years

As in other cases, Tang Dynasty represents a period of PEACE for the long suppressed creativity to grow

But there's a catch, tho

The period of creativity can only last about 50 years or so, plus or minus 20 years, and then it deflates

Japan of today is suffering, mainly due to their people are just ain't creative enough

Same with the Chinese people

After long period of peace, the Chinese people became complacent and then they just stop thinking

And for this country? Oh my

Our young generation is wasted for they never get any chance to suffer anything

Lepak becomes their favorite activity

Hmm... why bother to think if life is so easy?

This post has been edited by convivencia: Sep 20 2009, 08:27 PM

Not trying to nick pick, but if you really want to be creative, you gotta change your ways

There are a lot of ways to be creative, and in fact, one can train oneself to be creative (albeit still limited by one's innate creativity) --- but there is only ONE way to kill all your creativity, and that is, to think that you are right all the time

And that's what you are doing to yourself, right now

The only one who can free you out of that teeny tiny box is yourself.... so... it's really up to you

This post has been edited by convivencia: Sep 21 2009, 12:03 PM

in the case for China, it's the burdening custom that hindered the development of science and technology

there's a Chinese saying --- don't stick your neck up

and then there's the Confucius thinking --- one has to obey their superior with utmost respect

combine the two, we got a stagnant culture in China, and they end up wasting 3000 years out of their 5000 years history

This post has been edited by convivencia: Sep 21 2009, 05:36 PM

The first civilization that institutionalized the "Yes man" mentality is China, courtesy of Confucius

When your superior tells you to do this, you don't say "No" or "Maybe", you must say "Yes !"

Confucius also said "When the father ask the son to die, the son has no choice but die"

That's the mentality that has ingrained into every iota of Chinese culture / thought for thousands of years

Incidentally, most of the Chinese inventions, like Paper, Gunpowder, Compass, were invented before Confucius was born

It's no accident, really

The Confucius thought has effectively stifled Chinese' creativity most of the past 3000 years or so, and in some circles, there are still Chinese who advocate the children to learn Confucius thought, as though it's the Holy Grail

It's just too bad, really

Imagine if there were no Confucius, the Chinese civilization could have added so many wonderful inventions to the Human Society for the past 5000 years

This post has been edited by convivencia: Sep 21 2009, 08:48 PM

Actually gun powder (mainly sulphur and carbon powder) was invented in the late Zhou dynasty, it was still bronze age then, and most of the alchemists who dabble in the manufacturing of gun powder did it under the guise of "medicine"

Regarding the effect of Confucianism on Japan vs that of China, Japan should thank its lucky star

Culturally, in Japan, Shintoism takes precedence over Confucianism

While in China, it's Confucianism over everything else

In other words, the Japanese still have breathing rooms for their creativity but the Chinese don't get to enjoy such luxury

But your point is valid nevertheless --- the policies dictated by the leader do matter --- Japan's rapid rise in the late 19th century was mainly due to the determination by the then Japanese Emperor Meiji (明治天皇) to modernize Japan by adopting a lot of Western ideas

They even change their New Year to January 1st, from their old one based on Chinese lunar calendar

Without Emperor Meiji, the Japan of today may just be like Korea, nothing really impressive

On the other hand, China wasn't (and still isn't) as lucky

The burden of Confucianism has eaten away most of the Chinese's ambition in science and technology, so, instead of innovation in technological gadgets and/or scientific discovery , the Chinese turn to commerce

PS. A not-that-well-known fact about Confucianism is that it allows (and as the matter of fact promotes) corruption !

This post has been edited by convivencia: Sep 21 2009, 08:45 PM