What Isaac Asimov thinks about creativity
American science fiction writer (1920 to 1992), one of the 'Big Three'; professor of biochemistry at Boston University who wrote or edited more than 500 books, including much popular science and other non-fiction.
Everything they publish, on ppll ↗
Isaac Asimov did not write this page.
We collected these quotes from things they published elsewhere, and every quote links to where it was said. They have no account here and have not endorsed this site. Quotes are word for word; the short line under each one is our own restatement, not their wording. Their own site. Is this you? Claim it or ask us to remove it. Or tell us what is wrong here.
2 dated positions, c. 1959, in their own words. Our reading of what Isaac Asimov has said — not written or endorsed by them.
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Their wordsMy feeling is that as far as creativity is concerned, isolation is required.
↗How Do People Get New Ideas? (1959 essay, first published by MIT Technology Review, 2014)technologyreview.com 4th of 8 in this piece
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Their wordsProbably more inhibiting than anything else is a feeling of responsibility. The great ideas of the ages have come from people who weren’t paid to have great ideas, but were paid to be teachers or patent clerks or petty officials, or were not paid at all.
↗How Do People Get New Ideas? (1959 essay, first published by MIT Technology Review, 2014)technologyreview.com 8th of 8 in this piece
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