Why do we create?

I've long been fascinated by the intangible details that make humanity and human beings unique. More concretely, what are the social and psychological nuances that separate us from other species on the planet?

As I write this, I'm not an expert on sociology or anthropology, nor am I claiming to be. I'd encourage anyone reading this simple blog post with a genuine interest in the topics to seek our experts in those areas.

Still, I feel compelled to write a blog post asking, "Why is it uniquely human to create for creation's sake?" In a world of endless TV shows, movies, books, and story-rich games, why do we have a collective urge to tell more stories? Why do we have a desire as a species to share our opinions with the world, whether informed or uninformed? Why, in a world of deep academic institutions on philosophy, sociology, anthropology, and other "ologies," do I feel happier by writing and publishing this post?

This phenomenon extends beyond pure art. Modern society has produced an institutional supply chain of abundance that can produce cheap textiles, year-round produce, and affordable furniture. But my friends and I all love gardening, woodworking, knitting, and other creative hobbies that are easily supplanted by current conveniences.

The two prior paragraphs probably seem ludicrous to the small handful of people who would read a random person's blog post, but this mindset is worth identifying and, more importantly, celebrating.

Humanity makes things. Even when we don't need to. Even when it's purely for selfish reasons. Even when we have no intention of sharing them with the outside world, when we release something we've created, whether we deem it art or an innovation, it sometimes spreads beyond our wildest estimations and impacts the world in ways we'd never expected. Any reader of this can think of a book, album, open source project, or other "accidental innovation" that started with the creator scratching an itch. In a fast-paced society, we can often forget that creating for its own sake is not only essential for our souls but the first step towards profound innovation.

To wrap up this meandering free thought, I do not know why humanity has a compulsive urge to create that spans all cultures across history. Consult the experts for that answer, if it can ever be distilled into a pithy line. What I know is: this urge, wherever it comes from, makes us happier in the short term and society stronger in the long term. Celebrate it, encourage it with your friends and family, appreciate it, and do it yourself.

To anyone who made it this far -- make something today.

Let's get after it.