Conventional Wisdom v/s Creativity

In 1903, two bicycle mechanics from Ohio set out to do what the scientific community deemed impossible—build a flying machine. The Wright brothers’ success came not from dismissing the collective knowledge of their time but from combining it with an audacious, visionary, and creative belief. Where conventional wisdom said that “humans cannot fly,” their creativity dared to ask, “What if we could?”

This tension between the tried and tested and imagination and innovation has driven societal progress for centuries. Conventional wisdom, passed down through generations, offers reliability and stability, whereas creativity, with its unpredictability and limitless possibilities, emerges as a force that propels society forward. But do these forces always have to be in opposition?

In truth, conventional wisdom and creativity are not always enemies. Before revolutionary innovations can occur, it is necessary to have a firm grasp of established knowledge and facts, which allows for challenging, disregarding, or rethinking the existing rules. This article explores how conventional wisdom interacts with creativity and how striking a balance between the two leads to innovation. But first, let’s understand what conventional wisdom is.

What is Conventional Wisdom?

John Kenneth Galbraith, an economist, coined the term “conventional wisdom.” He described it as a set of accepted ideas or beliefs that dominate public discourse, public policy, and governance at any given time. These are often comfortable and stable ideas that rarely reflect the realities of the changing world. In the economic context, Galbraith believed that sticking to outdated theories was holding back the progress needed.

According to Galbraith, replacing a widely accepted idea doesn’t necessarily require new thinking. As time goes on and undeniable evidence continues to mount, the conventional idea is eventually overturned, and people come to understand that older ideas are no longer viable. Using Galbraith’s conception of conventional wisdom, we can understand how the evolution in understanding mental illness, its causes, and treatment came about.

Earlier, in the 20th century, doctors treated patients with schizophrenia, depression, and bipolar disorder as if they were possessed by demonic entities or characterized them as morally incompetent beings. This was the conventional belief of that time, and society relied on outdated ideas such as exorcism, isolation, or punishment to “cure” the patients.

Then, in the 1950s, new ideas emerged. Psychiatrists suggested that mental illnesses might be a result of chemical imbalances in the brain, trauma, or other biological and environmental factors. They offered new and developed therapies such as talk therapy, medication, and humane care. As research continued, psychologists gathered evidence through brain scans, clinical trials, and studies of patients who responded positively to medications like antidepressants. Their findings indicated that many mental health conditions were associated with neurotransmitter imbalances or traumatic life events, rather than possession or moral failings.

Psychologists and psychiatrists showed that therapies like cognitive- behavioral therapy (CBT) and medications worked better than old methods. Eventually, the overwhelming evidence from research and patient outcomes forced society to abandon the old conventional wisdom. The view shifted from “mental illness is a personal or spiritual failing” to “mental illness is a medical condition that requires treatment.”

This shows how creativity or new ways of thinking alone are not enough to overturn conventional wisdom. It must be supported by a “remorseless accumulation of facts.” While creative ideas can challenge accepted beliefs, they need solid evidence, data, and repeated validation to gain acceptance. Now, let’s understand what creativity is.

Creativity

Kaufman and Sternberg (2007) said creativity has three components. “Creative ideas must represent something different, new, or innovative. Second, creative ideas are of high quality. Third, creative ideas must also be appropriate to the task at hand or involve some redefinition of that task. Thus, a creative response is novel, good, and relevant.” This indicates that creativity involves finding a new, relevant, and appropriate solution. It involves
originality and relevance.

Using the example of the treatment of mental illness, let’s understand this.

To challenge the idea that mental illness is a result of spiritual and moral failings, psychologists and medical professionals came up with the original and novel idea of looking through brain scans of patients and thus establishing that there is a biological cause. Then, using their creative and scientific thinking, they developed appropriate and relevant treatments like medication and therapies.

Thus, creative thinkers in psychology and medicine began to view mental illness through a biological and psychological lens, offering novel yet appropriate solutions like antidepressants, cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), and brain imaging techniques. These new treatments were not only original but also highly relevant to the actual causes of mental illness, thus representing creative problem-solving.

Seana Moran of Stanford University described creative thinking as proactive problem framing and stated that it was ubiquitous in nature. Again, following the previous example, we can see that before progress in psychology, the problem of mental illness was framed as a moral or spiritual issue. But creative thinkers like Freud, Jung, and modern neuroscientists reframed mental illness as a medical and psychological issue. This proactive problem framing allowed them to look for solutions within the realms of brain chemistry, cognition, and trauma, rather than sticking with the outdated moral explanations. This shift in how the problem was viewed allowed for more innovative, science-backed approaches to treatment.

Creativity is everywhere, including in medicine, psychology, and everyday problem-solving. The changes in how society approaches mental illness show that creativity isn’t limited to the arts or sciences. It’s also present in clinical practice, social policies, and healthcare innovations. For instance, mental health advocacy, public awareness campaigns, and mental health reforms are all examples of creative approaches to a complex societal issue. These innovations make creativity a vital component of progress in both individual well-being and societal development, similar to how creativity manifests in other domains like business or education.

Thus, for society to progress, we rely on the stability of conventional wisdom because it reflects the widely accepted truths and frameworks that have guided human understanding over time. Conventional wisdom provides a solid foundation, offering stability and a reference point for what has long been considered valid or effective.

However, creativity plays an equally essential role by challenging these established beliefs. It helps us to reframe problems when conventional wisdom no longer fully explains the issues at hand, driving us toward novel yet appropriate solutions. By thinking outside of established norms, creativity enables us to see new possibilities and alternative approaches.

Conclusion

For these creative breakthroughs to truly take off, they often need to be integrated with the stability of conventional wisdom. This balance ensures that innovations are anchored in proven foundations, allowing for growth and innovation in a way that does not discard the valuable insights of the past. In short, progress is achieved by combining the stability of conventional wisdom with the disruptive potential of creativity. This dynamic ensures that society evolves in a way that is both innovative and grounded. This understanding aligns with Galbraith’s view that conventional wisdom is not easily overturned by new ideas but by the accumulation of facts—creativity introduces new perspectives, while conventional wisdom offers the stable ground from which these ideas can be tested and adopted.