There are many benefits to modern technology, but there are drawbacks as well, and several of these have a direct impact on creative potential. Because so many people use the internet, and in particular social media, any negative effects of internet usage are wide-ranging and profound. They could certainly be considered indicative of a crisis. Just to name one indication that the magnitude of the problem deserves to be called a crisis, early in 2013 over 604 million people were using Facebook - and that is just one of several social media. Hence, if social media inhibit creativity, the problem is a big one. The present article describes how social media and networks might inhibit creativity and identifies the types of individuals who are most likely to suffer. It concludes with a brief discussion of methods for immunizing against the inhibitive effects. Perhaps the crisis can be avoided, or at least mitigated, and the creativity crisis averted.

Abstract

There are many benefits to modern technology, but there are drawbacks as well, and several of these have a direct impact on creative potential. Because so many people use the internet, and in particular social media, any negative effects of internet usage are wide-ranging and profound. They could certainly be considered indicative of a crisis. Just to name one indication that the magnitude of the problem deserves to be called a crisis, early in 2013 over 604 million people were using Facebook - and that is just one of several social media. Hence, if social media inhibit creativity, the problem is a big one. The present article describes how social media and networks might inhibit creativity and identifies the types of individuals who are most likely to suffer. It concludes with a brief discussion of methods for immunizing against the inhibitive effects. Perhaps the crisis can be avoided, or at least mitigated, and the creativity crisis averted.

Keywords: Creativity crisis, social media, networks, innovation, intrinsic motivation, autonomy