Are people crazy because they are overly creative or are they overly creative because they are crazy?

Question

It was the focus of my blog and just wanted to know what people think. Are crazy people creative or are creative people crazy?

The blog: http://thefiveofive.blogspot.com/2007/11/five-o-five-tuesday-november-13-2007.html

Answer 1

If you mean crazy as in mentally ill then certain mental illnesses breed a certain type of creativity for example the manic stages of bipolar are often found to be incredibly creative periods for people with this disorders also some psychoses and delusions form creative ideas for the sufferer. In this case it could be argued that the person is creative because they are mentally ill although I’m sure many people would contest that.

If you just mean slightly eccentric then I think it can work both ways, the eccentricity could bring about creative thoughts or actively trying creative things could make you appear more creative. People’s definitions of creative (and for that mater crazy) differ vastly anyways from meaning arts and crafts, to imaginative, to more mundane things like problem solving and even ‘creative accounting’.

In general I think the premise ‘crazy people are creative’ is damaging, one because it encourages certain sufferers of mental illness to refuse treatments etc thinking the creativity is worth the life limiting effects and two I think it encourages people who think of themselves as being a bit traditional and boring to never explore their creative side which is something everyone should do as it has numerous benefits.

Answer 2

For me the word "crazy" does not apply. It is ,in fact totally wrong.
Creative people are-- eccentric, maybe weird, often strange.

But crazy? heck no. They know what they are doing, they are just too impatient, easily riled, prone to dramatic self pity or noisy scenes.