ABORTIVE ATTEMPTS: a flawed metaphor

You may recall that I have recently presented the Lichtenbergian framework to several groups, and it has occurred to me that a great metaphor I’ve thrown into the mix may be… flawed.

I flash this on the screen (along with the clues) and point out that I did all the ACROSS clues first and this is what I ended up with. The question I then ask is, “Have I failed at the crossword puzzle?”

The answer is obviously no, I haven’t failed. I haven’t completed it. I have to go back and do the DOWN clues, and then, because I will still not have completed it I will have to start shuttling back and forth to find pieces of words that I can now recognize and complete.

In other words: GESTALT.

Then I show this image:

This, of course, is a non-Lichtenbergian version of:

This is followed by the image of the crossword puzzle, completed. Ta-da!

But.

I realized after this last Saturday’s presentation that as a metaphor it’s not bad, but it’s not exactly true.

Our art/creative product is not a crossword puzzle, is it? There is not a “correct” answer waiting for us after we fill in all the words, and there never will be. The whole idea is akin to the King of Hearts Fallacy, and it’s a trap.

So in my future presentations, I will include this image:

This is what we’re faced with when we create: Only the vaguest of outlines, some hoped-for shape, and a pretty good idea of where to start — but no hint of a finished product.

Happy Wednesday!