Beyond the myth of the lone genius

Emotions… are "peopled" from the start. This dynamic turns out to play a critical role in the development of neural circuits that shape not only interaction, but autonomy too. In other words, the way we experience ourselves is inextricably linked to the way we experience others—so much so that, on close view, it's hard to draw a concrete distinction between the other and the self.

Over at Salon, Joshua Wolf Shenk is examining creative partnerships. Along the way, he's discussing recent research that indicates that creativity is inherently social. To get a clearer idea of how creative partnerships work, he's looking at creative duos at work, starting with John Lennon and Paul McCartney. The series so far has been excellent.

This matches my own experience. I'm at my best when I'm working with a team. On my own, I can work through problems, but the solutions are never as good as when I'm bouncing ideas around with people I like and respect.