Creativity lives within us all. “I can’t” is the voice that holds it back.

Unfortunately, parents and teachers are often not aware of the consequences of creating this kind of thought in children and students. Or perhaps they simply do not realize how deeply such messages can affect a young person.

In my eyes, the problem is much bigger than it may seem at first sight.

We desperately need creativity and new ideas to deal with the challenges of the modern world: energy, climate change, AI, social structures, inequality, and the fact that we still fail to provide enough food and security for everyone on this planet.

Creative minds ask questions. They challenge assumptions. They look for alternatives.

And this is exactly where I see a fundamental problem with our education system.

We expect children to learn largely the same things, at roughly the same age, and often in the same way. I believe every child has their own path, their own interests and their own way of learning. Of course, basic knowledge such as reading, writing and mathematics is essential. But beyond that, shouldn't education also give children enough freedom to discover what genuinely fascinates them?

We need creative ideas for countless problems. I therefore believe that reforming our education systems is not simply desirable. It is becoming increasingly urgent.

I have been teaching languages for 26 years, and one of the things I have always tried to understand is why a person becomes blocked in their natural curiosity to learn.

Children are naturally curious. They ask questions constantly. They want to understand how things work.

Then, somewhere along the way, many of them begin saying:

"I can't."

I don't believe that thought comes naturally to a young human being. It is often learned — sometimes unintentionally — through adults, institutions, expectations and repeated experiences of failure.

That is one reason why I consider creativity such an essential part of education.

It also means that we should not be afraid of difficult subjects. Human history contains things that are horrifying, disturbing and deeply uncomfortable. Slavery, exploitation, abuse and other forms of cruelty are part of our history. Understanding how human beings can behave in extreme situations is uncomfortable, but closing our minds to reality does not make reality disappear.

The same applies to recent revelations surrounding powerful people and the Epstein case. A great deal of disturbing material has entered public discussion, while other claims and material remain disputed, unavailable or unverified. I think it is important to distinguish between documented facts, allegations and speculation. Otherwise, we risk replacing one form of intellectual suppression with another.

And this brings me back to creativity.

Why do societies sometimes allow relatively small groups of powerful people to have enormous influence over the lives of millions or even billions?

There are many possible answers: economic power, political institutions, concentrated ownership, social structures, fear, conformity and simply the complexity of modern societies.

But I also believe that independent thinking matters.

People who are encouraged to question, investigate and imagine alternatives are much harder to control through simple answers.

This is also connected to a conflict I have experienced with another artist in this community. I won't mention names.

I could post extremely provocative or shocking material here, on Facebook or elsewhere. But I deliberately choose not to do that all the time.

Some people may not be ready to see certain images or subjects. Something that is intellectually interesting to one person can be genuinely distressing or even retraumatising to another.

Personally, I have learned that I sometimes need to block people on social media simply to protect my own peace of mind. That isn't necessarily censorship. Sometimes it is simply a boundary.

But perhaps there is another possibility.

Instead of fighting each other personally, why not create a space where opposing artistic or political perspectives can exist side by side?

Two exhibitions.

Two different viewpoints.

A real intellectual and artistic confrontation — without turning it into a personal competition.

That would actually be a battle I would enjoy.

For me, art is precisely the place where difficult questions should be allowed to exist.

Not because everyone has to agree.

But because nobody should stop asking questions.

And perhaps that is where creativity becomes more than entertainment.

It becomes a way of thinking.

Stay tuned.

Sorry, i think the text is too small... i will put it in the description. Two Misunderstandings: I am not giving out certificates or judging anybody or mesure. Maybe better read before. This is my own certificate from the school where I have learned. The questionaire is just to find out what might be interesting for a potential client. Here in opensim i can offer you consultation two times a week for free. Just to add some value to this wonderful community, or lets say the shitstorm-free side.

Creativity is not something another person can certify, train into you, or measure with a questionnaire. It grows from curiosity, experience, imagination, mistakes, and the freedom to make something in your own way. Sometimes the moment creativity is packaged too tightly, it stops feeling creative at all and sometimes pause lets it raise again