On originality

Glen inspires me. It is rare to see someone so obsessed with being interesting, great, creative and genius. It leads me to believe that all of the above just might be choice. In his drive and desire to achieve the aforementioned, he ultimately is successful.

Are we all capable of greatness? Do we all want to be great? I have to call into question the poem I said would make me vomit just last night: Dickinson’s “I would not paint – a picture.”

I would not paint — a picture –
I’d rather be the One
Its bright impossibility
To dwell — delicious — on –
And wonder how the fingers feel
Whose rare — celestial — stir –
Evokes so sweet a Torment –
Such sumptuous — Despair –

I would not talk, like Cornets –
I’d rather be the One
Raised softly to the Ceilings –
And out, and easy on –
Through Villages of Ether –
Myself endued Balloon
By but a lip of Metal –
The pier to my Pontoon –

Nor would I be a Poet –
It’s finer — own the Ear –
Enamored — impotent — content –
The License to revere,
A privilege so awful
What would the Dower be,
Had I the Art to stun myself
With Bolts of Melody!

Do I want to be great myself, or able to appreciate the greatness of others? I would love to be an excellent writer, to inspire others, to cause others to dream—but if that dream is achieved will I sacrifice my ability to be inspired myself? Will I lose my capacity to dream?

Or perhaps Dickinson was only speaking of the enigmatic arts—the ones left to interpretation. It is entirely true that I write out of inspiration (this post is a perfect example), but then the question becomes, can anyone come up with something that “is actually his, his own, not borrowed from anyone?” (Dostoevsky, The Idiot). Well, this post seems to be proof that this is extremely difficult, seeing as I have already referenced three jumping off points. I don’t know that I, at least, am capable of coming up with something entirely original—completely my own.

Is originality attainable? We are always stimulated by something, or so it has seemed in my observations, both of myself and others. It is rare to find someone come up with something with no provocation or previous thought. Sure, there are epiphanies, but even those are results of prior indoctrination. An epiphany is simply the subconscious making sense of things.

Perhaps that is what originality is—finding connections others might not have made before, or at least connections that you have not directly seen before. For instance—I have seen no one make the previous point before, though I have had many external stimuli lead me to my conclusion. But just because others may have come to the same conclusion before, am I any less original?

Is originality relative? Isn’t everything relative? All of our realities are different and unique; does that make us all original in ourselves? I don’t believe that statement—there are plenty of things about me that I will willingly admit are unoriginal, stagnant, even.

I am slowly honestly beginning to believe that everything is relative– that we spend too much time dealing in absolutes. And I think relative is a relative term. As in, I’m not sure if originality should even be judged relative to others, but relative to what thoughts you have achieved yourself– but I suppose that too, is a comparison with others even. I am all sorts of turned and twisted at the moment.

At least these are some things to consider. Perhaps you will come up with a thought that is original in your reality.