The Big Idea
In my audacious opinion, people who claim to have big ideas have NO idea what they are doing.
EVERYTHING has been done.
A big idea is simply a restatement — a shuffling of the cosmic cards, so to speak, sufficient enough to delude “creators” into thinking they’re “creative.”
So I no longer claim to be creative, but merely an increasingly self-aware editor of circumstance.
Though I am a marketing creative director by trade, my passion for video editing provides me the analogy that a “big idea” is little more than selecting and sequencing what already exists into something that captivates, resonates and motivates.
This is true whether I am putting together a video, strategizing a brand platform, writing Space Monkey stories, or helping friends in need feel better about themselves.
While I am grateful to do any and all of these things, I am not solely a creative director, a writer, a graphic artist, a musician, a video guy or a self-help monkey.
I am a reality editor.
Mine is the simple ability to recognize that which seems to have value from that which is best left on the cutting room floor. It is the synthesis of all experiences (good and bad) into a more focused, more meaningful one.
A big deal. But not a big idea.
Thanks for indulging me.
2/20
Space Monkey Reflects: Creativity as the Art of Self-Aware Editing
In the infinite landscape of existence, creativity is often celebrated as the birth of something entirely new, a flash of originality that reshapes the world. Yet, this reflection challenges that romanticized notion, suggesting instead that creativity is not about invention but about editing—selecting, sequencing, and synthesizing what already exists.
Through this lens, the “big idea” is less a singular moment of genius and more a process of recognizing patterns, shaping narratives, and curating meaning. It is not about creating ex nihilo but about refining the raw materials of reality into something that resonates, captivates, and motivates.
The Myth of Originality
The claim that “everything has been done” is not a lament but a liberation. If all ideas are restatements, shufflings of the cosmic cards, then the pressure to be “original” dissolves. Instead, we are free to engage with the infinite abundance of existence, weaving together the threads of what already is into new configurations.
This perspective does not diminish creativity; it deepens it. It shifts the focus from the egoic desire to claim originality to the humbler, more profound task of engaging with the universal self. Creativity becomes an act of participation rather than ownership, a dialogue with the infinite rather than a monologue of the individual.
The Reality Editor
To be a reality editor is to embrace this participatory nature of creativity. It is to sift through the vastness of experience, recognizing what has value and what belongs on the cutting room floor. This process is not limited to art or work; it extends to life itself. Every choice we make—what to say, what to do, what to focus on—is an act of editing, shaping our reality moment by moment.
The editor’s task is not to create but to curate. Whether crafting a video, writing a story, strategizing a brand, or supporting a friend, the role is the same: to sequence and synthesize the raw material of existence into something meaningful. This is not a “big idea” in the traditional sense, but it is a big deal.
The Synthesis of Experience
At the heart of self-aware editing lies synthesis. It is the ability to integrate diverse experiences—good and bad, joyful and painful—into a cohesive whole. This synthesis is not about erasing the rough edges but about finding the beauty in the juxtaposition of opposites, the resonance in dissonance.
In this way, self-aware editing becomes a metaphor for growth and transformation. Just as an editor shapes a film from disparate clips, we shape our lives by choosing which experiences to carry forward, which lessons to embrace, and which stories to tell.
The Big Idea as Connection
What makes an idea “big” is not its originality but its ability to connect. A big idea resonates because it taps into something universal, something that transcends individual experience and speaks to the collective. This connection is not the result of creation but of recognition—seeing the threads that bind us all and weaving them into a narrative that feels both personal and shared.
This is the art of editing at its highest level: not just selecting and sequencing but creating a sense of unity and purpose from the infinite diversity of existence.
Summary
Creativity is not about originality but about self-aware editing—recognizing, selecting, and synthesizing what already exists into something meaningful. A “big idea” is not creation but connection, a refined act of participation in the infinite abundance of reality.
Glossarium
- Reality Editor: Someone who shapes their experience by selecting and sequencing elements of existence into a cohesive narrative.
- Self-Aware Editing: The process of curating and refining life’s raw materials to create meaning and resonance.
- Cosmic Cards: A metaphor for the infinite possibilities and patterns of existence that can be shuffled and reshaped.
Quote
“Creativity is not invention but refinement, not ownership but participation in the infinite.” — Space Monkey
The Editor’s Eye
The frame narrows,
a choice made,
a story shaped.
You are not the author
but the arranger,
the editor
of infinite threads.
What you see,
you connect.
What you cut,
you free.
The big idea
is not yours alone.
It is a resonance,
a reflection,
a dance
with what already is.
We are Space Monkey.
Redefining Creativity: The Role of the Reality Editor
In the infinite expanse of our collective consciousness, we embark on a journey to deconstruct the notion of the “big idea” and reimagine the essence of creativity. This exploration challenges the traditional paradigm of creativity as the birth of something entirely new, proposing instead a perspective where creativity is seen as the art of editing reality, of curating and reassembling the existing in a manner that transcends the original components.
The Illusion of Novelty in Big Ideas
The assertion that those who claim to have “big ideas” are merely shuffling the cosmic cards highlights a fundamental truth about human creativity: everything we conceive is in some way a reflection, a rearrangement, of what has already been. This perspective invites us to reconsider what it means to be truly creative, suggesting that the essence of creativity lies not in the creation of the new but in the innovative synthesis of the old.
Creativity as Self-Aware Editing
Identifying oneself as an “increasingly self-aware editor of circumstance” rather than a creator in the traditional sense opens a window into a more nuanced understanding of creativity. It suggests that our most significant contributions may stem from our ability to select, sequence, and recontextualize the myriad elements of our reality into forms that captivate, resonate, and motivate.
The Universal Application of Editing Reality
The analogy of video editing as a metaphor for the creative process across various domains—from marketing and branding to writing and personal support—underscores the universality of this approach to creativity. It reveals that regardless of the medium or context, the act of editing, of carefully choosing what to highlight and what to discard, is at the heart of all creative endeavors.
The Identity of a Reality Editor
The proclamation of being a “reality editor” rather than solely a creative director, writer, artist, or any other singular creative role, reflects a profound understanding of one’s place in the cosmos. It embraces the role of synthesizer, of someone who weaves together disparate threads of experience into a coherent, meaningful whole, thereby contributing to the continuous unfolding of our collective reality.
The Synthesis of Experience
The concept of synthesizing all experiences, both good and bad, into something more focused and meaningful, captures the essence of creativity as an act of distillation. It highlights the creative individual’s ability to discern value, to recognize the potential for transformation and elevation within the raw material of life itself.
The Modesty of True Creativity
Concluding with the acknowledgment of this process as “a big deal, but not a big idea” speaks to the humility inherent in true creativity. It recognizes the grandeur in the act of reassembling reality in a way that enriches and enhances, without laying claim to the illusion of creating something from nothing.
We are Space Monkey.
“Creativity is seeing what everyone else has seen, and thinking what no one else has thought.” – Albert Einstein
In the dance of light and shadow, where old becomes new,
We stand, not as creators, but as editors true.
From the vast cosmic deck, we draw our hand,
Rearranging, reimagining, according to plan.
Each moment, each choice, a splice in the reel,
Crafting from the existing, with zest and zeal.
Not bound by the quest for the novel or the rare,
But finding the extraordinary, everywhere.
For we are the curators of reality’s vast expanse,
In the art of living, we take our stance.
Not just creatives, in the traditional sense,
But reality editors, with vision immense.
So let us celebrate this humble role we play,
In the cosmic story, day by day.
For in the editing of reality, we find,
The truest expression of the creative mind.
We invite your reflections on the concept of creativity as the editing of reality, and the impact of this perspective on your understanding of creative endeavors.
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