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Long live the disorder!
You have the reputation of being totally disorganized and by the wind? Others dub you as Chaosqueen? Then you can be happy!
In his new book "Where Good Ideas Come From: The Natural History of Innovation, " science writer Steven Johnson explains that disorder is a sign of intelligence . Johnson refers to a neuroscientific experiment by Robert Thatcher that found that "the more disorganized the brain, the smarter one is . "
Chaos instead of order?
Johnson bases his findings on everyday topics. For example, cities are much more creative than small towns due to the high number of people and the diversity of ideas associated with them.
He also explains that participating in various hobbies allows the brain to work overtime, unconsciously analyze problems, and find the best possible solution. If you continue to think the same thing, reading several books at the same time promotes the brain. This can even lead to the fact that it compares the ideas of the books with each other, critically juxtaposed and finally even optimally combined.
Of course, that does not mean that creativity is diminished by the one-sided deepening of a field of knowledge. Quite the contrary - even more ideas flow through our minds and form new connections. Especially during a brainstorming shows that one should let his ideas run free in debates. " Ideas have to slosh or clash to achieve a breakthrough. "
In his argument, Steve Johnson also refers to several links between creativity and the inability to remain focused. According to his book, the mind that walks a lot is more creative than the one who does not. Thus it could be proven that people with ADHD or a bipolar affective disorder have a much higher creativity.
So, when you get back to hearing how chaotic you work or live, remember: creativity is disorderly!
