Creativity Is the Power to Connect the Seemingly Unconnected – William Plomer
Creativity is the power to connect the seemingly unconnected. — William Plomer
—What lingers after this line?
Defining Creativity Through Connection
Plomer’s assertion reframes creativity as more than novel invention; it is the ability to form links between ideas that, at first glance, appear unrelated. Steve Jobs famously said that 'creativity is just connecting things,' emphasizing that innovation often springs from fusing disparate concepts—a principle visible in cross-disciplinary achievements, such as the development of the iPhone, which melded computing, telecommunications, and design (Isaacson, *Steve Jobs*, 2011).
Historical Innovations Born from Unexpected Links
Many breakthroughs manifest this pattern. For example, Leonardo da Vinci’s study of anatomy informed his artwork, resulting in masterpieces like the 'Vitruvian Man', illustrating how connections across fields yield creative results (Kemp, *Leonardo*, 2004). Edison’s invention of the phonograph arose from his work with telegraphs and telephones—apparently unrelated arenas that, when united, built a new device.
Cognitive Processes Behind Creative Connection
Psychologists propose that divergent thinking—the ability to generate many ideas by exploring various solutions—relies on mentally linking unconnected concepts. Guilford’s tests on creativity in the 1950s revealed how people capable of making distant associations scored higher on creative potential (Guilford, 'Creativity', American Psychologist, 1950).
Illustrative Anecdote: The Velcro Inspiration
Swiss engineer George de Mestral invented Velcro after noticing how cockleburs clung to his dog’s fur. Bridging biology and clothing fastenings, he patented a solution by mimicking what he observed in nature—a quintessential act of connecting the unconnected (Velcro.com, History of Velcro).
Encouraging Creativity Through Interdisciplinarity
Modern education and workplaces increasingly value the integration of knowledge from varied domains. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Media Lab, for example, thrives on interdisciplinary teams—artists, engineers, and designers collaborating to produce technology previously unimagined, echoing Plomer’s lesson that fostering creativity means fostering connections (Mitchel Resnick, 'Lifelong Kindergarten').
One-minute reflection
What's one small action this suggests?
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