Most people I have talked to have heard the phrase "think outside the box" at least once in their life. I’ve been hearing it since I was in the first grade. I remember when I used two traffic cones to make a soccer goal. My teacher came up to me and said, "Way to think outside of the box!" I wasn’t concerned with any box; I just wanted to play soccer. However, being the literal thinker I was (and still am) I asked my teacher what she was talking about. She explained to me that thinking outside the box means thinking differently than other people. My teacher meant it as a compliment, but is it always good to think outside of the box?
The problem I have with thinking outside the box is that it is not always the best solution like some may believe. Thinking outside the box now seems to mean doing something new, to change or challenge the process. The saying "that’s how we’ve always done it" seems to carry a bad connotation. I don’t mean to imply that change is bad. There are countless examples of where change has lead to great success in the past. Inversely, there are plenty of examples of when change hasn’t been the best idea.
One type of change is adding a new twist to an old concept. I’ve read pitches for movies and books and far too many go along the lines of "imagine X but with Y." Instead of trying to add a new twist to spice up an idea, perhaps developing the original idea further would be more beneficial even if that’s thinking inside the box. For example, "Pride and Prejudice" was a good book that dealt with real life struggles that people, even today, can empathize with. Many books have been written about real life and there are genres such as realism and naturalism based around this. Adding zombies to make it new and edgy was turning away from the core concepts that made it such a wonderful book. The twist was new (to the story at least) but not exactly great for the story.
I’m fine with the Apple way of doing things. The first iPhone and the most current one have the same basic principals. Sleek, simple and user friendly. The core values of an iPhone. If Tim Cook wants to "think outside the box" he could add more buttons or a selfie stick to the next iPhone, but that doesn’t mean it’s better. I personally enjoy the design of the iPhone. It’s not perfect, but it works for me. The reason I still use my iPhone is because it has the core concepts that made me use it in the first place. Take away those and it’s just not the same.
I see this in comic books. I love the world that comics can create. Super heroes and villains fighting for justice. It’s the classic good versus evil story. However, the comic book world is changing now. For those who aren’t caught up with the comics universes, don’t worry. I doubt anyone really is. There are so many alternate time lines and storylines that I spend more time trying to figure out the story rather than simply enjoying it. The creators of my favorite comics are turning away from the basics of the stories I loved as a child. They are thinking too far out of the box for my taste. They’ve abandoned the box. I began reading comics like "Batman" because he was just a normal person working to protect Gotham. Now, he is taking on world-destroying aliens and understanding the universe by sitting in a chair. I can’t empathize with the characters I grew up loving. In order to think outside the box the creators have made something new, and not in a good way.
After reading this I hope that people don’t feel discouraged from being creative. I meant quite the opposite. This is to encourage people who do think inside the box. In fact, is there even the need for a box? Any endeavor can be considered creative regardless of if it is something brand new or sticking to a classic concept. Don’t let a silly old box determine what your next brilliant idea will be.
