Creativity can be described as two competing forces – logic versus emotion. While many artists feel passionately about their art, many think about all the different ways they can plan their art. Erothtos solves this problem. Erothtos combines the passion drive of emotion and the solidifying effect of structured reasoning.
The principles of Erothtos teach us how to channel emotional excess into productive energy. This is the basis of this guide, but further along we will see how this can be applied to your own art.
The Philosophical Roots of Passion and Creativity
To understand Erothtos we must see how ancient thinkers viewed desire. For the classical Greek philosophers, the concept of Eros refers to more than simple romantic love. In Plato’s Symposium, we understand Eros as being a fundamentally generative force. This is the energy, the desire that pulls people towards the creation of the meaningful and beautiful. Creation acts as a profound philosophical rush, activating the transcendence of human activity.
It connects our earthly limitations and greatest potential. Eros acts as a middle force. It takes our primal urges and diverts them to the Greater: the other of art, the the of science, the other of social justice, the urges of positive social change. This urges manifests our power to conceive and create, mental constructions of beautiful ideas and inspiration, giving them form.
Emotional intensity combined with reflective structure
Pure passion can be chaotic and destructive. A fire gives light and warmth, but It needs a hearth to contain it, or it will burn the house down. Erothos provides the required structure to contain and direct the creative fire.
The framework involves ‘cognitive striving’ and this means one has to think to understand the world and the different facets within it. Instead of operating on pure impulse, an artist or a thinker studies the many layers of their surroundings and infuses thought into each of their actions and impulses. This is what the term Erothtos embodies, the fire of passion combined with the coolness of reason. You give yourself permission to experience, but you also require that reason organizes those emotions into a contained and structured message. This lets you express yourself without just shouting into an empty space. It makes your expression a meaningful and articulate communication.
Concrete ways to use Erothtos in your practice
Erothtos philosophy can be very impactful on the way you approach your work. Below are three suggestions that can help you achieve this of Erothtos in your practice:
Positively embrace questioning of the community
Your creative flow should not be solitary. You can share your raw ideas with a trusted circle of community and collect some constructive suggestions. This practice acknowledges the cool side of Erothtos, and also the testing of your impassioned ideas against the rational thinking of others.
Turn emotion into structure
Your most powerful feelings and emotions should be your starting point to initiate a project, and then, focus on discipline to carry it through to the end. When inspiration hits, it is important to capture the essence of the moment, and then, go through the process of establishing a disciplined process to carry out the refinement.
Seek the good and beautiful
Your values should be reflected in your creative output. Before starting a project, consider what is the overarching good that the project aims to achieve or how it relates to the universal core of what it means to be human. This will inform the project on what will be the emotional impact, and the weight the project is intended to carry.
The Strength of Unified Creation
The Erothtos philosophy embraces the best of both worlds. Feeling and thinking deeply are important facets of a good creation. Unified with deep emotion, a construction emanates a rich resonance.
Now, take a moment to think about the creative system that you are in, and the habits that you have. Try to look for creative and innovative ways to structure your pattern, and the balance that you will achieve will deepen your creative expression and the impact that it will carry.
