Modern technology is increasingly integrated into our daily routine and workplace practices, prompting the concern that it might negatively affect creativity. I largely agree with this apprehension, as automation has also fundamentally reshaped our approach to developing creativity, or rather, lack there of, by replacing creative cognitive processes.
One of the main explanations is that modern technology can diminish creativity by replacing practising problem-solving, which is essential for the cultivating creative thinking. As creativity is borne out of original thinking and trial-and-error, many modern devices are designed with the intention to externalize these tiring processes. For instance, preset templates and AI-assisted writing tools are readily available for clerks, while decision-making softwares are increasingly adopted by financial and medical professionals. As a result, cognitive tasks are progressively oursourced to modern technologies, leaving people with less motivation and fewer opportunities to exercise creative problem-solving. Moreover, big cooporations and institutions in the modern era, accustomed to streamlined workflow, often encourage efficiency and standardized outcomes, which might further stifle individual creativity. Given the reduced opportunities and structural pressure, people tend to experience creative muscle atrophy.
It is true that automation has largely replaced manual, repetitive human labor, liberating workers and endowing them more time for creative pursuits. However, this sentiment does not stand much scrutiny, as modern technology has also pervaded our leisure time. Instead of investing in creative expression, such as writing or drawing, people tend to prefer consuming content directly pushed to their feeds passively, which is made possible by media algorithms. As a result, creative engagement is likely to reduce rather than increase in reality.
In conclusion, although modern technology greatly improved efficiency, its negative impacts on human creativity are worrisome, as they tend to replace original thinking, limit problem-solving, and disrupt creative expressions.