The Creative Act a Way of Being Review
This book was recommended to me by a Dutch comedian, and I was really excited to dive in. Rubin challenges the conventional wisdom that creativity is something exclusive to artists and musicians.
Instead, he argues that creativity is an intrinsic aspect of human nature, accessible to all of us, regardless of our background or artistic preferences. Its lessons apply to every manifestation of creativity, even when you’re in your kitchen cooking a new dish. What you put in and leave out of your stew are all creative decisions, so even in those situations, Rubin argues, is a manifestation of that same creativity. Whatever we do with it— be it music, writing, painting, is up to us, but it comes from the same source.
By breaking down these barriers, Rubin empowers readers to embrace their creative potential and find fulfillment in their own unique expressions. This book is as much a guide to life as it is a guide to art. It’s a ballad to universal creativity, what it requires of us, and the challenges we may face on the creative path.
The spiritual component is a huge part of what makes this book different from any of the other books about creativity. To him, art is the Dao. It has a life of its own. It’s a way of ‘being’, and the artistic impulse must be respected, cultivated, and nurtured as a force of nature, innate to our humanity. Rick Rubin does mention spirituality throughout, particularly Buddhism. His creative career looks to have been profoundly influenced by his spiritual life.
