Part 1 of John Cleese & Dr Iain McGilchrist on Creativity, Humour and the Meaning of Life

[@cheri238]

Dr. Iain McGilchrist and John Cleese, what a wonderful combination!!!! With the deepest appreciation and respect for this enlightening conversation.

[@DELO480]

I've been very depressed lately, and comedy has been a life saver. I have so much more respect and admiration for the mere concept of riding the edge of the blade. Genuine comedy comes from a place of love. We need to remember the life giving spirit of play. I've read The Master and it's aligned so much of my thinking. I see the world differently, and really it has been a long time coming.

[@petespensive6578]

What a wonderful meeting of minds (and hemispheres)!

[@lucasheijdeman2581]

Collective play within one experience

[@flattblackcopper4558]

👁 see you what you did there🙃

[@JNPhere]

John Cleese is a wise and rational man. It's a pleasure listening to his thoughts.... and he is of course brilliantly funny!

[@Sparky_007]

@Dr Iain McGilchrist Thank you for this interview with Mr. Cleese. I hope very much that he stays healthy and that we're able to suffer several more decades of his existence on this planet. It is with true love that I say such a thing. :) All the best!

[@michaelricketson1365]

Ha ha ha ha 🙂

[@cosmotopper123]

The advice on how to start writing again from Cleese: "Just sit there." Absolutely brilliant and the most valuable and effective advice on starting the process.

[@freetibet1000]

Absolutely right! And I just would like to add that try not to ‘produce’ anything. Just ‘being poetry’ is enough. I say this as an artist that have dabbled in meditation for almost forty years. For me it is all about finding the integration between the rational (structural) mind and the timeless expanse of the creative sphere within me. I find meditation enormously helpful to become a ‘whole person’ between these two (imaginary) opposites. For me, the simple technique of letting go of every moment have proven to be the ticket. Creativity goes stale and solid as soon as we try to cling to our ideas, creations, etc. Likewise, our mind gets completely rigid if we don’t understand the transient and space-like nature of all phenomena and structures. But if we can manage to remain in a loose state of non-ambition but still with a keen attention we may find that life is enormously joyful and full of humor. We will learn to laugh about our silly attempts to control reality. We will learn to enjoy this little dance of playful reality that we’re part of.

[@korpiz]

I had no idea Cleese had a new book out about the topic of creativity, but now I just bought it!

[@agentk1205]

Omg this is a legendary conversation. Can't stop listening to it.

[@VernonGoddard]

What a combination of thinking, exchanging ideas, being creative……wonderful…

[@jgarciajr82]

I so much respect Iain. He asked for advice I don't know too many scientists that do that.

[@cango5679]

Fantastic man Mr. Cleese. I'm so grateful to have been able to enjoy his work, in spite of not being English, nor english speaking... And now to enjoy his deeper truly sides of his persona. Thanks.

[@ErnestoEduardoDobarganes]

For me, the secret to write poetry is to be able to hold the feeling until it can be described without letting the words be nothing but the vehicle.

[@themos3s]

It is very playful

[@VernonGoddard]

I have no real idea where my poetry comes from….something arrives in thoughts and then I work it up….draft something….go back to it…play with it….

[@Pastaface]

I think too that the Master and Emissary is the best book I've read in my entire f'n life. Thank you IMcG

[@philforrence]

Wow, this is surprisingly amazing. Love how cleese is both a comic and an intellectual!

[@roberthumphreys7977]

Thank you, gentlemen. Business leaders need to hear this because they, in general, are clueless about what creativity is and what the "creative process" requires. I've been subjected to "creativity consultants" (of course there are creativity consultants!) and not one word about fun and quiet contemplation was said. The evidence for the USA becoming a creativity desert is everywhere and is manifest in the pathetic efforts of businesses to generate the elusive "organic growth". And yes, John, the education establishment cannot ensure that high school grads can read or do simple arithmetic but they do ensure that creativity is eliminated from the system.

[@szymonbaranowski8184]

they think about finding universal formula 😂 like to be creative you just need to put known elements in different combinations AI is basically doing this, checking all possible combinations to find what makes most sense in desired context 😂 but the way new algorithms hallucinate can really be closer to right side thinking but probably they won't make it truly free because it's all based on predefined left side like requirements so it can't touch forbidden entirety of things without that judging part

[@christiancameron2997]

The collab no one asked for, but we all needed

[@CorrinaMcFarlane]

Delightful in every way.

[@autisticalchemist]

Thank you for this. What a feast. Two gems entangled, at play if it were. 💎

[@mitchkuner9191]

Pleasure to listen to these two great men

[@hipnicity]

Love John Cleese!

[@annadyl4427]

Your talk is so refreshing among omnipresent cheat-chat.

[@onefugue]

Creativity and play are incredibly important. Something that's not addressed here, however, is whether it's possible to get stuck in that open exploratory process in a way that is harmful as well? It seems to me that it IS possible and that what is needed is the right balance between the two modes (open and closed/focused, divergent and convergent thinking, etc.). Just as there is an epidemic of people who are overly focused on work and productivity, I believe there is another epidemic of people who almost pathologically avoid work and responsibility. These are often adults who still live like children (Peter Pan syndrome). It includes people who have all kinds of creative ideas, and who may even start projects, but who never follow through or finish any of them before moving on to something else. Meanwhile, important parts of life are neglected, such as bills and health and other responsibilities. Of course, one has to be careful not to beat oneself with the command to be responsible. Balance. But a balance which is probably best maintained with more of an open playful spirit than a rigid rule-bound one, to take a cue from the metaphor in the title of Iain's book The Master and His Emissary.

[@sevendaysoulbysusannahheal1625]

Lovely to hear you both speak again! I always think that cynicism is lazy thinking which requires no courage but demands that we "stay in line / back in our box". Would you say some forms of humour occur when we jolt the listener out of the expected next line / behavioural "script" and out of linear thinking? Or perhaps make explicit aspects of human nature / behaviour which we have become accustomed to, thus jolting us out of our jaded smaller lens out to the "bird's eye view" of ourselves ? Looking forward to watching the next video! Thank you both.

[@MegaSteve1957]

I am only just starting this journey with a few videos under my belt, but already I have an understanding of John's reaction to reading that book - wonderful stuff.

[@adamk8067]

I respect how passionate you are about your ideas when you speak, I find them to be quite fascinating. I would love to be a student of yours.

[@pow1983]

So glad I found this video & channel

[@YogaTherapyHub]

Thank you. ❤❤

[@winskypinsky]

A late night treat! Thanks algorithms.

[@kawaii_princess_castle]

It is true that play time is really important every day!!

[@stevepeterson9579]

Two brilliant men!

[@guy1ngl15]

Love these guys

[@thesunshinemanmusic]

“All’s I said was, ‘This halibut is good enough for Jehovah!’” Nice to see J.C. put out a book on creativity. I’m interested to read that. Phillipe Petit, the French highwire artist, also wrote a book on creativity I want to read.

[@jimmybolton8473]

Listening to you Iain is probably the best hing I have done for the help I give my daughter under emotional stress because I can identify which hemisphere is reacting or if I am shell backing across both hemispheres as we called it in the NAVY. I miss her but not being emotional when she is gives her more space to allow the emotional parts of the conversation simmer down and I have the mindfulness to point out the positive in her and me. Thankyou because now you will always be part of any conversation I have with the people I come into contact with. I am greatful to many and so angry at one. One at a time that is…lol JK 🤟

[@bfuiltugomaith]

Wonderful wonderful ..

[@wybuchowyukomendant]

No joke, my best ideas always come when I'm on the verge of sleep, this funky moment when you start to see or hear weird things and you consider them absolutely normal.

[@freetibet1000]

Boy! This short interview touched on so many vital points regarding the creative sides of ourselves. Regarding having artistic ambitions I just would like to add that try not to ‘produce’ anything. Just ‘being poetry’ is enough. I say this as an artist that have dabbled in meditation for almost forty years. For me it is all about finding the integration between the rational (structural) mind and the timeless expanse of the creative sphere within me. I find meditation enormously helpful to become a ‘whole person’ between these two (imaginary) opposites. For me, the simple technique of letting go of every moment have proven to be the ticket. Creativity goes stale and solid as soon as we try to cling to our ideas, creations, etc. Likewise, our mind gets completely rigid if we don’t understand the transient and space-like nature of all phenomena and structures. But if we can manage to remain in a loose state of non-ambition but still with a keen attention we may find that life is enormously joyful and full of humor. We will learn to laugh about our silly attempts to control reality. We will learn to enjoy this little dance of playful reality that we’re part of.

[@nigelericogden3200]

In recent years I have found Yoga Nidra very helpful … 🙏

[@marrowfreeze]

What an amazing surprise!!!!!!

[@marrowfreeze]

I spend a lot of time thinking about your book Iain. Ty.

[@traviswadezinn]

Loved it! Great talk! Rather do it than talk about it, yep!

[@stefan1924]

I've only been writing for one year now, but one thing I knew from the start was that my phone always had to be somewhere else when writing. When I write on my computer, I also tend to put the word sheet on "work mode", which blends away the task bar, and I also put my mouse away a little bit, so it's just me, the keyboard and the word document.

[@szymonbaranowski8184]

if you know how to type fast with many fingers try simply copying unknown previously texts without thinking about writing only with muscle memory it's interesting that your mind will drift in new ways if you let it follow unknown paths on that second freed layer above muscle memory but below conscious aware analysis I get best ideas when doing repeatable automatic physical activity when brain does not need to be conscious and releases resources to middle layer of pure bordom

[@JaneEva]

Wonderful!

[@fiord7026]

Yes, regarding art and poetry, I was taught at school and university that you have to learn the rules before you break them. And I think why? Why not just let creativity flow and come in whatever shape and form? Thankyou, very interesting...

[@ebzZzZ]

ADHD is a break down of the focus of attention in real time, and to put that into perspective its the importance of your internal world and external world are in synch with each other through speeds of reality. being able to switch between rational and creative thought is a 'skill' you use and not who you are. what to me i see its our humour our common language what we all speak together collectively no matter what language we speak. the common language is humour, our natural thing we all share, and the creativity we create humour with, ideas with, divert conflicts with. if you follow the evidence based way to take the philosophy and creativity of humour in the ability to heal. 'LOOK' at how a paramedic works they come in, they use humour, try to crack the one reality of shock to snap peoples bodies out of it in the fight or flight and blood pressure drops and 'humour' saves lives on the front lines. thats creative, thats human, its works. Sufi say 'there is no situation to serious for humour it can save lives'

[@livingbeings]

excellent

[@ConstructiveMinds100]

What an epic discussion that so beautifully summarise those swollen heads.

[@bmurray4882]

great post

[@unabashed26]

Listening to this lovely interview reminded me of Bukowski’s ‘Genius of the Crowd’.

[@Leanne.Rivers]

Wonderful, thank you!

[@bfuiltugomaith]

Regarding creativity .. I believe the creative 16 yr olds would be afraid of ridicule if they put up the hand ..from experience I walked into that trap at 15 being in a class of average 17 yr olds. And the ridicule and bullying I got for asking a question about art ….and that was 60 years ago…these are catalytic moments in our lives that forces us to seek a better way. Suffering is the goad to self realisation or knowing

[@louseiler8384]

Dr. M, I was just listening to your recent interview on the UnHerd channel, and I thought wouldn't it be wonderful to see Iain talk with John Cleese. Sure enough, my subsequent search supported mostly by my right hemisphere, led me to this video. I too, cracked up laughing at hearing "the left hemisphere has a high opinion of itself," an observation that's full of mindfulness, something which doesn't have to be devoid of humor.

[@tedschafer339]

Not sure if I agree total or disagree. I've come up with some of my best ideas under pressure. Many times I've been in a situation were it was a trial by fire, sink or swim.

[@GregoryWonderwheel]

All good ideas, including creativity, arise from the unconscious and are not the product of the conscious state alone. Consciousness can work with and evaluate the ideas, but doesn't create them. Both "sides" of consciousness, the light and the dark, are absolutely required for the natural mind

[@marcoaslan]

Glad I am not the only one who had to experience arrogant people who take a pleasure of criticizing others so they can feel superior.

[@howardleekilby7390]

Dr. McGilchrist. may I offer a suggestion? Haiku poetry. What is haiku? ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️😊

[@jax_pax_channel_podcast]

Great interview!! Same person I want to interview next!!

[@emilybitzel7242]

When a child's creativity gets broken, how do we repair it? Is it thru encouraging creativity now and visiting moments that the person remembers as a harsh 'trauma'? Or is it completely new growth, a new starting place, after a certain age? So, does the root need to be preserved for the optimum health of the person/left hemisphere? My right brain says no but my left brain says yes.

[@bertibear1300]

Nice to seeBasil .

[@TheMimoJimi]

Haha, "Dad, I'm not interrupting you....!" I loved laughing along with your laughter Also: Kelly-Marie Kerr; SeekVision

[@yaasikasa17]

Creativity is intelligence at play.

[@sunyata150]

Has anyone heard when in 2021 Dr. McGilchrist's new book is coming out?

[@howardleekilby7390]

❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@vothila]

It's pretty serious how relentless our distractions have become nowadays. Totally disrupting the creative process in general.

[@seanmoran6510]

Huxley warned of this. Indeed Brave New World meets 1984 is on the door step about too walk in through the door way

[@yoya4766]

@@seanmoran6510 On the door step? It's high jacked the house.

[@yourcommander3412]

04:34 Here is me sitting at my computer trying to come up with "Wrong person for the job" while being distracted by this lovely video. Oh well - got me a beer so Im plenty playful. Arsonist fireman.

[@Mart-Bro]

"There is no such thing as writers block" - Seth Godin

[@ToddCrosby-e2s]

Carl Jung reserved time every week to play with blocks...first toys then later stone blocks as he built Bollingen ... Jung believed play was essential to generating new ideas. Of course the entire red book was an artistic undertaking....beautiful paintings...which helped lead to ground breaking ideas. oh and Iain...regarding poetry two things.....for some reason i find my poetry comes when i practice visual arts...which were more natural to me as a child.....i'd say probably practice whatever you used to do as a child.....(hence Jung's blocks).... now i'm a much less adept visual artist than a poet, but i can't make the poetry come unless i am either in pain or unless i'm working on a drawing....go figure!

[@rudivandereep310]

Rules of laws of prerequisite stipulations governing society hamper majorities creativity

[@ELTarTree]

Perhaps you could put a link to Johns book in the description?

[@hipnicity]

Can’t find it yourself?

[@stephenkerensky710]

Aristotle: "Protagoras says that one idea is as good as another. If that is true it is a serious matter because not only is Protagoras as wise as the gods but what is more important is that he is no better than a fool." Collapse of stout deconstructionist.

[@carlt570]

Hypnagogia, the liminal state between awake and dreaming . Dali, Jung, Einstein etc amongst many who employed this state of consciousness.

[@robertstar7463]

Indeed and Nikola Tesla was another one who was creative and imaginative when building up his ideas.

[@plekkchand]

Cleese is right on about Eagleton et al. and the assumed superiority of the critic to the creative.

[@barbarahourigan8462]

❤️❤️

[@simulateduniverse9373]

"A critic is a eunuch working in a harem. He watches it, but he knows he can't do it. Critics very often are failed writers and, like failed priests, they hate religion."

[@filosofiaecontroversia]

the amount of views in this is criminal

[@ColonelMuppet]

It’s function of the cultural collapse to which they allude.......this stuff will be gold dust in 50 years

[@terryl7855]

Three months later less than 10k. Found this through a comment on another video.

[@yoya4766]

@@ColonelMuppet it's good now, just because the masses don't flock doesn't make it less so.

[@paulgrieve7031]

Criminal and obscene!

[@warmwelkom]

✨🙏✨

[@warmwelkom]

😅😂🤣the left hemisphere does have a high opinion of itself 😆😅😂🤣

[@Neilgs]

A most appropriate French word is songe (not just reve), inbetween state of waking/dreaming drifting, a bit more impressive than daydreaming No direct translation into English.

[@kellinigh2398]

You have to be willing to be taken. Eros takes you. It is not a mind thing. It is a love thing. Poetry I mean.

[@andrewmckeown6786]

I think that the Towering Intellect, Mr McGilchrist, made 1 tiny error of specification at the end. Making a Fool of Yourself, is perfectly permissible to the ego. It is something YOU did and that YOU were in control of. It is when you are unexpectedly or undefendably, made the Fool, or worse, when someone else Makes you the Fool, those....those are the moments that the ego cannot countenance. Those moments can send a person down long, dark, terrible, exaggerated, brooding tunnels of the mind.... I believe that, That, is what the ego lives in constant Terror of more than any other single thing....

[@hipnicity]

Where ego I GO!

[@StephenGrew]

Just start, just start. Get a piece of paper and a pen and begin and play around, either with an already formulated, loose structure/idea or nothing! See where it takes you, there will be a part of you that knows where to go.

[@jarijansma2207]

One looveee, one hahaheart, lets, get, together and. beeee aaallright As it was in the beginning! So shall it be in the eenddd Lets get together and. beee all right.

[@StephenGrew]

Well I have to say I decided to buck against the anti playfulness of the various institutions and get on with it in my own way, to make things I entirely wanted to make! Through playful invention.

[@EyesOnLegs]

Do you mind fellas, I’m trying to write here.

[@Neilgs]

Critics have this vague or too often not so concealed sense of superiority because beneath the words of their armor they feel the existential angst of their failing right brain. Are perhaps many of them frustrated poets and novelists but don't have the capacity or short circuit themselves in the process by fear of straying into the Fields of the Imagination and beyond?

[@vishysalmundi9137]

5:04 to hear a kettle boil

[@77Gabilan]

😀

[@ebzZzZ]

A story i wrote on this Ideology Bollox -- Follow the Ideology' what is an Ideology? it is a belief in something. what is a belief? To answer that we have to go back to the point where us, as baby, were learning to talk . you listened you copied your mimicked until you could vocalise. The next step is the most 'missed' importance of development in children when external vocal talk turns internal. without and understanding of thought people self talk in high emotional states and program themselves, your subconscious just see's emotional thought as reality as much as external reality. then it comes to stories, we can believe stories, disbelieve stories, believe 2 conflicting things. we are mammals who have learned to talk. belief is part of a mammalian skill system. you 'belief' to activate a 'skill' to create motion. including motion in thought. Believing stories is an issue with this system with language, beliefs create behavior and motion. In an Ideology, a 'story' becomes a 'skill' . belief is not faith. just like happiness isn't an emotion its a state of contentment.

[@paulgrieve7031]

Never take your phone on a walk. Probably best not to even listen to music or talk (through your earphones) among nature. -Paul Grieve

[@jessegibson3548]

😁

[@Collapsed_AMOC]

JOHN CLEESE

[@thetacortex7959]

Does 'ego' reside in the left hemisphere?

[@hglatGAIA]

A light Fruitarian diet for 40 days highly recommended for all who have found clarity, hard work. It opens me up to my creativity. I love these conversations, just awesomely engaging and right at the Divine time for them too! Blessings to both these sweet gentleman. I live in America but spent 50 years in England and it's so interesting to notice the difference and similarity in cultures, even when they share the generic WEST term. I personally look to East and West, South and North and most certainly WITHIN (plus up and down!) for my own answers, as Iain does, and I can see the more you know the trick becomes to walk a hair-line tightrope successfully! Mentally at least. Anxiety is something I wish people could learn to deal with better. I am learning to drop needing anything and be as a Child again. Act creatively and enjoy every last minute you have of every day. Then something happens. ;) McGilchrist for Prime Minister please! :)

[@janliljeberg3769]

That is why Rene Decarte, the father of modern philosophy, stayed in bed most of the day, to get his thoughts distilled.

[@jacqueline4581-u4o]

Critics "have a very high opinion of themselves" said JC. That's John Cleese, not Jesus Christ. Oh wait...

[@yoya4766]

I can be critical but its mostly to those who act superior when their competence is inferior. It's the hubris I tend to zone to criticise. Which is the exact opposite of what you think of critics. I recently saw a medical doctor giving a dharma talk, she delievered it like she might an anatomy lecture. She simply couldn't switch of her persona. It was insulting to the dharma teaching, and reduced it to her creation, rather than let it flow through her.

[@sallyunderwood66]

Going to the Royal Academy Schools in London was a total creativity killer. Endless, pointless criticism. Zero inspiration. Brendan Neiland was in charge at the time, and he was a vicious bully who got fired for having his fingers in the till and misappropriating funds. Great and beautiful college run by someone who was clueless about art. I think things are better there now. Bullying and creativity definitely don't mix.

[@TJ-kk5zf]

Thomas... it's Thomas... and all of his best ideas were stolen from Tesla

[@jylyhughes5085]

"The left hemisphere has a very high opinion of itself" ...... 😉

[@natashalythgoe]

There's much here that is precious - and - I have a ton of respect for the work of McGilchrist however I found some of this a little tricky. I found some of the assumptions and perspectives narrow. Specifically something around the assumption that children are completely playful and do not have responsibility - presumably this is children who are bought up without traumatising conditions and children who do not have to work? And as a woman I find the absence of any references to women noticeable not to mention the story of the father being interrupted by his child somewhat grating. I don't try to be churlish - I'm just expressing that my antennae when listening to two older white men speaking as experts is very finely tuned in 2021, for 'inclusivity' in our perspectives.

[@adamsmith307]

Shut up

[@markrowe5992]

@@adamsmith307 . . . so telling too. What fun.

[@natashalythgoe]

@@adamsmith307 Firstly, I'm human - your sharpness has an effect. Ouch. Second, it's the first time I shared a comment on youtube - I wonder is it not possible to share an opinion that differs from someone elses without being told to Shut up?

[@natashalythgoe]

@@simonfarrow5667 thank you for this message Simon. I really appreciate all that you share. I have a busy few days but I'd love to respond more fully afterwards. Thanks again

[@natashalythgoe]

@@simonfarrow5667 Thanks for sharing your reflections and some of the folk who inspire you. Please know I haven't any interest in polarising (inner or outer). It is clear that we are living in a world right now that is calling for more diversity and equality - on many levels. We also live in a world where the dominant voice is that of the older white male and I dare to ask them to take responsibility for addressing this. Through, for example, reflecting on who they are choosing to interview the most, who they choose to teach with, who they reference when they are teaching etc Older white males have inspired and informed my journey and I am grateful for this. AND it doesn't mean its okay that they are still the voices and perspectives that are amplified the most. I knew my comment here would be unpopular as these two men are well-loved and for good reason. But as I listened to them speak I became more and more disheartened with my ear finely tuned for the nuances I have already shared about.

[@barbarajohnson1442]

As much as I love you both, women's lives revolve around constant interruptions, yet there can be seeds occasionally from these interruptions, Maybe a different kind of creativity? Of course " A Room of One's Own" is productive. Just to pose a question, why do you assume creativity must be separate from daily rhythms and occurrences .... maybe these are the roots of pure creativity.

[@gunkwretch3697]

as we are all apes, if you are trying to not make a fool of yourself, you are lying to yourself and others